The Relationship Between Hunter and Prey
by FireStarDragon
Summary: AU. As an elite member of Akatsuki, Itachi Uchiha is a cold and precise demon hunter, never once caring about his prey. But what will he do when he unexpectedly develops an attraction to his latest target, a nine-tailed fox demon? ItaNaru yaoi.
1. The Origin of the Hunter

Author's note: Hello everyone. This is only my second fanfiction, and I'd really appreciate if you would read this and review so you can let me know what you think about it. If you like it, I'll write another chapter, but if not, then I'd like some suggestions on what to fix and how I can get better. Anyway, let's get started!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I'd definitely like to.

1. Origin of the Hunter

_There is a legend from long ago and far away..._

_It speaks of a demon hunter who fell deeply in love with a fox demon who he was supposed to kill. It is widely believed that the demon returned the hunter's feelings but the exact outcome of the relationship has been the cause of much speculation over the years..._

_Some say the demon grew tired of his human mate and killed him, bored. Others say that the demon hunter had never loved the demon and was only trying to satisfy his own physical desires, then killing him as planned. Some even have suggested that this tale was never real, while others firmly believe in it..._

_Nobody knew the truth of the story... Until now..._

_This is the full story of the legend that will be called simply, "The Relationship of Hunter and Prey."_

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Fifteen-year-old Itachi Uchiha had a normal life. He had a younger brother named Sasuke who admired him. His father, Fugaku, was a wealthy merchant who always provided well for his family. His mother, Mikoto, was a gentle and beautiful woman who loved her husband and sons, and always made sure to remind them that they were loved.

The Uchiha family lived in a large home on the outskirts of the village of Konoha. Konoha was well-known around the country as being a strong village that specialized in the demon-hunting business. Many young men and women were part of the elite class of hunters, and children idolized them, wishing to grow up and be strong like them.

However, Itachi had never taken too much of an interest in being a hunter. Sasuke, on the other hand, couldn't wait to be one. He would often ask his brother to join the hunters so Itachi could learn from them, and then teach Sasuke himself.

The elder brother did eventually join as a potential member, only to please the younger. During training sessions, Itachi didn't try hard. Despite this, it was obvious that he was a naturally gifted fighter. He posessed skill, strength, and the know-how that made senior hunters envious of this new recruit. Yet, they still realized that he would make a fine addition the Hunters. Even the leader of Konoha, the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, offered a permanent place for Itachi among the Hunters.

To everyone's surprise, the eldest Uchiha son politely declined. The teen wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and wished to be a business man. During his encounters with the hunters, he had found that he had no real reason to even want to hunt demons, let alone kill them. Itachi decided that by being a merchant, he would be a better contribution to society.

He eventually told this to Sarutobi. Oddly enough, the old man had reacted well to the news, and informed Itachi that the offer to be a hunter would always be available. Itachi had bowed, smiled politely, and thanked him, although he didn't have any intention of learning the trade of killing.

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>Sasuke was disappointed with Itachi for several days after declining the invitation. The youngest Uchiha believed that his brother was making a mistake. He had even tried to convince his mother and father to make Itachi change his mind, but his parents told him that they wouldn't interfere. Just to placate him, Itachi spoke to his brother, and told him that one day he would be a hunter, but not now.<p>

"But the hunters are so cool! You should just join now!" Sasuke insisted. The older Uchiha had shook his head, then explained, "Not now, Sasuke. Tomorrow, I'm leaving to Suna on an errand for Father." The older boy smiled at his pouting sibling, "Cheer up. I'll buy you something from Suna. I hear they have all kinds of interesting things over there."

Dark eyes widened, looking up at Itachi, "Really?" The boy was excited about the prospect of receiving a present from his idolized sibling.

"Sure, but you have to promise me that you'll behave and stopping being a pest." Itachi poked his brother's forehead. This only made Sasuke pout more, and cross his arms, "Fine! But just so you know, I am not a pest." Sasuke grinned,"You better bring me back something cool, or I'll tell Mother you called me a pest."

Itachi smiled and ruffled his brother's hair,"Whatever you say, Sasuke."

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_**One Week Later...**_

Itachi had needed to go to Suna to deliver an order to one of his father's rich customers. The journey had been harder than expected. Traveling through the desert required a large amount of stamina and luck. In addition to high temperatures, and scorpions lurking in the shifting sands, there was also random sandstorms that would occur without warning. But Itachi had avoided all of these perils and had successfully completed his assignment, and was currently on his way back home.

He sighed in relief upon reaching the single road that lead to the forest that surrounded Konoha. The road twisted through the tree-lined path and lead right to the main gates. After that, it was just a quick walk through the village, then home. The thought of seeing his family again cheered him up, and he quickened his steps through the forest. In minutes, he reached Konoha's main gates.

The gates were closed. Itachi frowned. Normally, the gates were always open. He couldn't help but worry and think something had happened. The boy stopped, focusing on the sounds around him.

Nothing, except leaves rustling in the wind. This only increased his worry. Why wasn't anybody around? Not even birds could be heard. Not hesitating a moment longer, he raced around the village walls.

Since his house was located on the edge of the village, he could enter the property by going around Konoha's perimeter. Panting, he finally reached the end. His dark eyes widened fearfully at what he saw.

His house was completely destroyed. Two people were lying in the grass, motionless. Itachi raced over to see who it was, and gasped. It was his mother and father, and they were dead. Blood darkened the grass around the corpses. They were killed by stab wounds through the chest.

Itachi touched his mother's hand, trying to not to panic, but her lifeless touch scared him more. He looked around, trying to make sense of things. Then, a thought occurred to him: _Where's Sasuke?_

Panicked, Itachi called his brother's name. He ran towards the demolished house, and froze when he saw a figure standing in the wreckage. An unnaturally pale man with long black hair was there, looking at his feet. A weak voice could be heard nearby.

"Sasuke!" Itachi yelled desperately. He could recognized his dear little brother's voice anywhere. Itachi sprinted towards the man. "Get away from him!"

The stranger merely smiled coldly, and lifted up Sasuke, who was nearly unconsciousness.

"Ah... So you're the boy called Itachi, the heir of the Uchiha clan. I must say, you look more impressive than this one." The man said, shaking Sasuke lightly. "But I suppose he'll have to do."

Horrified, Itachi watched as the man opened his jaws wide, and bit his captive brother's neck. Sasuke cried out in pain, screaming for help.

Itachi lunged at the man, trying to get to Sasuke, but the stranger removed his teeth from the younger boy, and threw him at Itachi. He stumbled back, but managed to catch Sasuke.

"What did you do to him?" Itachi yelled at the man. Sasuke's neck was bleeding, and an ugly black symbol was now present on his light skin.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to see if those rumors about the Uchiha clan are true." The man replied casually, as though nothing serious had happened. "I guess they aren't..." he added with a mocking smile.

Itachi put Sasuke down gently, and faced the stranger. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he exhaled, he opened his eyes. The normal obsidian shade was replaced by a bright crimson. "No. The rumors are true." Itachi declared. He inhaled another breath, and exhaled a blast of fire from his mouth.

The flames engulfed the stranger, burning his body. He man screamed and fell down, and tried to put out the fire. Itachi didn't offer any mercy to him. Instead, he blasted him with another fire ball, incinerating the man, turning his body to charred flesh.

Afterwards, it was quiet, until an eerie laugh was heard. Itachi's red eyes widened as he saw the stranger emerge from the burnt corpse. It reminded him of how a snake sheds it skin...

"Ha! What a show! I guess this wasn't a waste of time after all!" The stranger said, looking excited. The man smiled coldly at Itachi. "I picked the wrong boy. You have that power I want!"

"What are you?" Itachi asked in disbelief. He knew that this person was clearly not human.

"Not what, but _who_." The man's face was covered with a bestial snarl. Then his facial features and body began to transform until he became a massive snake. "I am Orochimaru, the Snake King!"

Itachi didn't waste any time. He blasted the demon again with a jet of flame, hitting him in the face, the heat scorching off his scales. The creature hissed savagely,"Insolent whelp! You burned my eye! You will pay!" With that, Orochimaru lunged toward Sasuke, who was lying in the grass, semi-conscious.

Using his Sharingan, Itachi anticipated the snake demon's movements. He raced forward and jump-kicked the demon's jaw, hitting him hard enough to push him to the side of Sasuke, causing the demon to slam his face into the dirt. Blood leaked out of his mouth as he spit out a fang loosened from the impact.

"Damn child! You may be strong, but I will get you one day. I will have those eyes..." Orochimaru growled, and turned his face to look at the destruction he caused. Slitted-pupils scanned the area, pleased. "At least I don't need to worry about Konoha anymore." He looked back at Itachi, who was at Sasuke's side, trying to keep him conscious while he worked to stop the bleeding from Orochimaru's bite. The snake smiled evilly," That won't do any good. He can't handle the toxin. It's a shame. I would have loved to have a Sharingan earlier, but oh well... Enjoy the death I have caused to you and all you care about, boy." Once he was finished speaking, the Snake King burrowed into the earth and disappeared.

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_**Two Days Later...**_

Itachi was kneeling in the dirt, smoothing out his parent's graves. He had buried them himself, and even made a headstone by carving their names on a large stone and placing it at the top of the grave. The grave site was located behind the ruins of his former home. Itachi spoke a brief prayer and placed a bundle of wild flowers on the graves. Sighing, Itachi got up and went to check on his little brother's corpse to make sure no scavenger animal had attacked it.

After Orochimaru's attack, and before his death, Sasuke had told Itachi what happened while he was away. Apparently, the day had started off normal, then a horde of demons arrived with a strange man wearing a mask. The masked man had a powerful ability of his own and had been able to overwhelm Konoha's demon hunters, while his demon followers had killed the civilians and destroyed all the houses and other buildings. There were only a few survivors of the attack.

Orochimaru himself had attacked the Uchiha household. The snake demon had been searching for both Itachi and Sasuke, but had only found the youngest Uchiha and his parents. This caused him to become angry and attack. Sasuke had seen his parents get killed trying to protect him, and he nearly fainted from the shock, and couldn't recount anything after their deaths. After that, he had began to cry and Itachi had comforted his little brother and gently told him to stop talking about the tragedy.

The worst part of this whole situation was the fact that Sasuke had asked why this had to happen. The eleven-year old couldn't comprehend why all this death and destruction had to occur. Itachi had his suspicions, but didn't say anything because he didn't want Sasuke to worry in his final moments of life. Instead, Itachi had recounted stories from their childhood trying to remember the happier times. It had worked, and Sasuke had fallen asleep with a small smile of his face. A few hours afterward, he had quietly passed away from the snake's poison.

Now, Itachi was responsible for burying his brother's body. He dug a deep hole next to his parents' final resting place and carefully placed Sasuke's body inside.

"Good bye, little brother." Itachi said, eyes filling with tears as he began filling the grave with dirt. Inch by inch, the coffin was being obscured by the dirt, and the hole was soon filled. Once he was finished, he collapsed over the grave and cried for the first time in years. He cried himself to sleep on that grave, and woke up several hours later, face dirty and tear-streaked.

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The moon was full, illuminating Itachi as he placed the gift he had bought for Sasuke on his grave. The gift was a decorative dagger with a beautifully carved dragon on the handle. Sasuke had liked dragons. He had always said they were cool. Itachi had known this and had gotten the weapon, but now he would never see his brother's reaction. That realization was very upsetting, but Itachi had promised himself he wouldn't cry anymore.

"Hey. What happened here?" a female voice asked..

Itachi was startled, and activated his Sharingan out of reflex. "Who are you?" the boy said, sounding hostile.

A woman and a man approached him warily. The woman had shoulder-length blue hair and a flower of the same color in her hair. The man had spiked orange hair, and his eyes were concealed in the darkness. Both of them wore black cloaks with red cloud patterns on them. The woman spoke,"Are you okay?"

"No. My whole family was killed by a demon. Why would I be okay?" Itachi said, crimson eyes blazing.

The newcomers noticed the eye color and exchanged looks. The man nodded once, and stepped closer to the boy. "Don't worry, child. I'm like you." Then he revealed his own eyes. They were circular patterns of blue and purple that started at the pupil and made their way across the entire eye surface. "Like you, I am a human with a special power."

Itachi's eyes returned to their normal dark shade. The man smiled faintly,"But unlike you, I cannot turn my power off when I feel like it."

The woman looked around at the destruction and said, "This looks like Orochimaru's handiwork. Wouldn't you agree, Pein-sama?"

The man, Pein, nodded."Yes, it does." He addressed Itachi,"Tell me child, do you know why this happened?"

The last Uchiha shook his head. He wanted to know what these people had to say.

"That demon that attacked was known as Orochimaru. He seeks rare powers that should be only present in demons, but for some reason, humans have them. The powers are usually clan-specific. Those eyes you possess are clear indicators of this. He came for your power."

Itachi nodded in understanding. His father used to tell him stories about the Uchiha clan and their legendary abilities. The Sharingan was the most notable and could be used in a number of different ways when properly mastered. Using fire element attacks was also an Uchiha trait. However, not all clan members have the abilities mentioned. So far, Itachi and Sasuke only had both. Since Itachi was older, he had more time to use his skills, while Sasuke had only recently developed the Sharingan and didn't know how to use it very well.

"I had guessed as much, but that still doesn't tell me who you are." Itachi said.

"My name is Konan, and I am a member of the Akatsuki." she gestured to Pein,"He is called Pein, and he is in charge of the Akatsuki. Our organization deals with demons; we hunt _all_ of them, no matter how dangerous they are."

"And?" questioned the teen. Konan looked like she had more to say.

"We are currently looking for new members. Since you survived an attack from a demon and have obvious skill, you would be a good recruit."

Itachi didn't reply. He just looked around at the ruined land and the graves of his family. He had nothing here; not a single thing worth sticking around for. If the snake demon was to be believed, then staying here would just make Itachi an easier target, but leaving with these strangers could be dangerous too...

Pein interrupted Itachi's considerations,"Think about it like this, what do you have left to lose?"

"Nothing." Itachi replied, "Fine, I'll join. I don't see any other options for myself. "

"A wise choice. You do realize that we do not hunt for the sake of revenge, right? We hunt to achieve a better world, free from the horrors that demons cause. Do you agree to support this cause?" Pein asked, his voice reflecting the graveness of the topic.

"Yes. That's fine with me. I know exactly what demons are capable of."

"Excellent. Now gather your things. We will depart immediately." Pein said, then began to walk away from Konan and Itachi. The woman glanced at Itachi, who was checking over the graves once more, making sure they would be safe against the weather. "Is this what you really want?" she asked him.

He nodded, remembering the Konoha demon hunters and their invitation to him. "Before, I didn't have a reason to kill demons, but now I do. If I can kill them to save someone else, then it'll make my life more meaningful. If I stay here, I'll probably just waste away from my grief. I'd rather leave and have a fresh start. After all, there is nothing to keep me here." Itachi said, grabbing the backpack he had brought with him on his trip to Suna.

Konan listened to him, and felt bad to see such a young person dealing with such an event, although she did know that death was just a part of living, especially in a world of both humans and demons. "What's your name, boy?" she asked him as they left towards the road out of Konoha, following Pein's lead.

"Itachi Uchiha."

She smiled faintly,"Welcome to the Akatsuki, Itachi."

"Hn." was his reply. As they reached the pathway into the heart of the forest, Itachi looked behind him one last time, at his old life. _Goodbye, everyone,_ he thought. Itachi sighed once, but quickly turned around. There was no point in looking back, especially when a new life greeted him...

The life of a hunter.


	2. Dangerous and Captivating Prey

Author's note: Hello. Wow! This story has received good reviews, story alerts, and been added to several people's favorite stories list. Yay! Thank you all so much! That's so encouraging. I'm so glad that people like this story and I truly appreciate every reader who stops by to check this story out. Anyway, once again I would like an opinion on this chapter and whether or not you want to me to continue it. If you like it, I'll definitely continue it! So please read, review and let me know what you think! Alright... Ready or not, here it comes!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto series, but I do own several pieces of Naruto merchandise, such as my adorable plush dolls and key chains.

2. Dangerous and Captivating Prey

**_Seven Years Later..._**

At just twenty-two years old, Itachi Uchiha was one of Akatsuki's strongest members, second to only Pein himself. Itachi was a skilled warrior, excelling in every form of combat known. He was a master in taijutsu although he didn't specialize in it. His Sharingan allowed him to use the most powerful genjutsu available to him, and his prowess in ninjutsu was unmatched due primarily to his powerful fire elemental abilities. All of these skills combined to make him nearly invincible. In addition, his track record since joining Akatsuki was superior to nearly everyone else's. In only seven years, he had killed exactly two hundred ninety-four demons, performed fifty-five successful captures, and had zero failed assignments. In short, he was the perfect demon hunter and an asset to the organization.

All the other members of the Akatsuki were fully aware of this, but they all showed no signs of jealousy. Even Kisame Hoshigaki, Itachi's partner, had acknowledged on a few occasions that Itachi was the superior hunter. Kisame, a shark demon/human hybrid, was powerful in his own right, but respected the Uchiha, both for his skills and stolid demeanor. The two worked well together, and rarely ever fought amongst themselves. Keeping this in mind, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they were assigned the most dangerous missions...

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One evening, as night fell, a blond man limped towards the Akatsuki's hideout located at the base of a remote waterfall. A trail of blood marked his path, dripping from where his left arm should have been. The limb was gone, having been severed in a recent fight. The red cloud patterns on his cloak were singed, and a large clay bird flew slowly behind him, carrying his unconscious partner, Sasori, on its back. The blond, Deidara, noticed movement in the nearby trees. He tensed up at the sound, but relaxed when he saw a man with purple-colored eyes and silvery hair slicked back.

"Fucked up again, eh Deidara-_chan_?" the silver-haired man asked, using the honorific as an insult. He grinned, holding a triple-bladed scythe.

Deidara glared, and held his remaining hand over the bloody spot where his left arm used to be. "Shut up, Hidan! As if you could do any better! Now go make yourself useful and get Kakuzu or Konan, un!"

Hidan rolled his eyes, "As a matter of fact, I could do better. I wouldn't be an incompetent idiot like you and let some damn demon rip one of my arms off!"

"Incompetent? Are you forgetting that it was me who caught one-tailed Shukaku, un?"

"Big deal! I caught the two-tails last week!" Hidan countered, sounding smug. Deidara scowled at him, and was about to start arguing some more, but heard more footsteps approach.

"Both of you are such noisy idiots." said an annoyed deep voice. A hooded man glared at them, his face covered completely, only revealing his peculiar red and green eyes.

Hidan frowned,"Damn it, Kakuzu! How many times do I need to tell you? I'm not a fucking idiot!"

"Really? Your behavior proves otherwise." Kakuzu pointed out, inspecting Deidara's injury as he ignored Hidan's protests of his proven idiocy. "Hmm... It appears to be a relatively clean cut. Was your arm sliced or ripped off?"

Deidara winced, remembering the fight, "No. It was bitten off."

"I see... I can fix it, but you should give up on the Kyuubi. You're just wasting money and resources each time you fail. Since I am Akatsuki's treasurer, you know how I feel about wasting money." Kakuzu remarked, signaling Deidara's clay bird to land. The bird descended to the ground, tilted its wing, and Sasori rolled onto the ground. Kakuzu sighed, "Sasori too?"

Deidara nodded, "That fox demon hits hard. It sent Sasori flying into a mountain. I'm surprised he's not dead, un."

Kakuzu didn't reply, but grunted as he lifted up Sasori and hoisted him over his shoulder. "I'm telling Leader-sama what happened here. He'll find out anyway, so it doesn't really matter." With that, he left towards the hideout's entrance.

Hidan glanced at Deidara, who had a worried look in his blue eyes. "Tch...You're such a wimp. Are you afraid that the Kyuubi is going to come back and finish the job one day, or that Leader is going to kick your ass?" Deidara didn't respond, only glowered at Hidan before walking off, following Kakuzu's lead.

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Pein's voice echoed in the dark meeting room. "Enter."

Itachi and Kisame stepped in, their faces lit only by a few flickering candles. Kisame shifted his sword, Samehada, to rest more comfortably on his shoulder. "What's the new mission, Leader?" He grinned, "I hope it's something interesting..."

"Interesting, you say? How does the legendary nine-tailed fox sound to you?" Pein asked.

Kisame's shark fangs glinted as he spoke, "A tailed-beast? Now, that's what I'm talking about! When do we get going?"

Pein nodded, "Tonight. I'm assigning you two this mission because Deidara and Sasori have failed twice, and have been injured twice."

"Yeah. That's what Hidan told me earlier." Kisame sighed, "I can't understand why Deidara would be stupid enough to go after the Kyuubi twice. I know he caught the Ichibi last month, but why did he think that Sasori and he could handle the Nine Tails, the strongest of all tailed-beasts?"

"Clearly, he was just being foolish." Itachi answered.

"Of course. It _is_ Deidara we're talking about. He's too much of a hothead to ever think about what he's doing." The shark demon turned his attention back to Pein, "What are the mission specifics?"

"The same with all tailed-beasts; incapacitate and capture, but do not kill. You have one week to return or re-enforcements will be sent. Understood?"

Both partners nodded simultaneously.

"What is your plan of attack?" , asked the leader of Akatsuki.

"Kisame will be the main offense and weaken the target. I will provide back up if required, and ensure a successful capture." Itachi replied.

Pein seemed pleased with this, and gave his approval. "Excellent. I only expect success from you two."

"Understood. We won't fail." Kisame assured him.

"Very well. You two are dismissed."

Itachi and Kisame turned away and were heading out the door when Pein's voice offered them a word of advice.

"Don't forget; by nature, fox demons are tricky creatures. Keep your guard up at all times, and above all, always expect the unexpected."

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**_The Following Day..._**

The fox demon walked through the calm forest, listening to the familiar birdsong. He sniffed the wind and detected no intruders. He yawned and settled into a patch of soft grass for a nap. The sun shone on his golden fur as he wrapped his nine long, beautiful tails around his body. He was just about to start dozing when his sensitive ears heard a bird screech in alarm from the other side of the forest. It flew away, panicked. A dozen other birds followed its lead, forming a cloud that darkened the sky momentarily.

The demon growled. This could only mean one thing...

The hunters were back.

He quickly got up and dashed away towards the center of the forest, paws barely touching the ground. The demon bounded over fallen trees and smaller animals in his path. Once he traveled a mile, he stopped to sniff the air. The wind blew from the southwest, carrying a faint scent of water with it, which immediately alarmed the fox. The nearest lake was in the northern part of the forest, and there was no chance of rain.

Where did the water come from?

"Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"

Suddenly, the demon was knocked off his paws by a blast of water. He was slammed into a tree and felt the air knocked from his lungs. He tried to regain his breath, and got a lungful of water as a result. The water attack dissipated as soon as it had arrived, and the fox coughed, trying to clear his airway of the liquid.

A blue-skinned man carrying a massive sword approached him. The fox snarled savagely at the intruder, and lunged at him. The man blocked with his sword, its rough texture tearing some fur away from the fox, which jumped backward on contact with the weapon. Increasing his speed, the demon dashed to nearby tree top and roared menacingly. Before the demon hunter could react, the demon opened his jaws and struck him with a blast of burning red chakra. Unbeknownst to the fox, Samehada was a living sword and could absorb chakra. As a result, most of the attack was negated.

"Annoying little beast!" Kisame muttered, his forearms burnt from the overwhelming power of the demon's energy. The fox wasted no time. He attacked again, using his tails to whip at Kisame, knocking him over, and disarming him. Samehada flew into the air and landed into the trees some distance away. Sharp claws raked into Kisame's chest, blood spraying onto the demon's golden fur. Kisame ignored his newly formed wounds and punched the fox in the muzzle, causing it to reel back and doubling its rage. The fox tilted his head back briefly and howled, striking his tails against the ground. The earth trembled on contact, triggering an earthquake strong enough to split the ground open. Kisame was barely able to avoid falling into the chasm by dashing up a tree. He panted from the relative safety of the treetop. _Damn. This one is actually pretty good, _he thought.

The fox narrowed his eyes, the vermillion shade matching his anger over this hunter still being alive. Quickly, the demon reared up on his hind legs, and slammed his paws back down. A shock wave from the impact knocked down all the trees in the nearby area, including the one Kisame was perched on. He tried to leap away, but his cloak was caught on a branch. He tore at the fabric and broke free, but the delay slowed him down and the falling trees trapped him beneath, immobilizing him.

The demon licked his fangs in satisfaction. Just one more attack and this would be over and there would be one less hunter in the world. It was a win-win situation for him. He took a deep breath and focused his chakra into his jaws for another, more powerful, blast. He felt the energy building, and to his immense surprise he heard a voice that didn't belong to Kisame.

"Looks like you need a hand, Kisame."

There was something about that voice, and it made the fox stop, mid-attack. The wind blew once more and he gazed at the direction from where it came from, and his heart skipped a beat.

Standing there was a man, wearing the same cloak as the other demon hunter. His eyes were exquisitely beautiful, red as fresh blood. His skin was fair, but not overly so. Some of his midnight-colored hair framed his attractive face, while the rest of its length was bound back in a low ponytail, which danced in the breeze. The fox inhaled through his nose, catching the man's scent. He could smell the blood and death that the hunter had caused many demons, but that wasn't important to him. Instead, the fox focused on the human's own natural scent. It was unique because it carried a faint trace of the wilderness that reminded the demon of the refreshing scent that occurred right after it was finished raining in the forest, mixed with an unknown scent that was absolutely fascinating to the demon.

This human, and everything about him was perfect... and very alluring.

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Itachi blinked, not completely understanding what was happening. The fox was staring at him, but not attacking. He thought it was very strange to say the least. The Uchiha had just seen Kisame get attacked relentlessly, but now the fox had stopped and didn't seem interested in fighting any longer. Instead, the fox sat on his haunches and tilted his head curiously, appearing to consider something. He seemed to have come to a decision, and stood up.

Much to Itachi's surprise, the demon flipped backwards, engulfing himself in in sparkling red chakra. When he landed, his form had changed. The demon had transformed himself into a human.

Sharingan eyes widened, Itachi took in the demon's new appearance. He looked as though he were a teenager and was wearing orange pants, and a matching orange and black jacket. He had skin that was tanned to a healthy shade, and blond hair that was spiked up. His eyes were as blue as the ocean. Whisker-like markings upon his cheeks gave away his true demonic identity, but beyond that, his appearance was very striking, and even a little distracting.

Once their gaze met, they forgot about the fact that they were enemies. The two of them stared at one another, almost hypnotized. In the back of his mind, Itachi idly wondered if this was some strange genjutsu, but he had never heard of something such as this. The demon approached slowly and carefully. Itachi didn't move away. The demon opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, he was knocked over by an exploding water shark. Not being prepared for the impact, the unexpected attack sent him flying and he crashed into a tree, head first. He landed in the shrubs, not moving and hidden from view, except for his feet.

Itachi jumped away, startled. He looked at the fallen trees, and noticed Kisame climbing out of the destruction. The shark demon panted, clothing tattered and full of splinters.  
>"Thanks a lot, Itachi. That genjutsu you just did saved my skin and allowed me to hit that little snot!" Kisame said, walking unsteadily. Itachi felt like asking, "What genjutsu?" but didn't. He quickly realized that Kisame was referring to the fact that the demon had stopped his assault, and attributed that to Itachi's doing, even though he didn't do anything. At least, he didn't <em>think <em>he did anything...

Kisame reached into a tangle of brambles and removed Samehada. He studied the sword carefully before frowning,"Damn it! The hilt is scratched! Stupid demon!" He looked around, angry at first, then he became confused, "Itachi, what happened to the Nine Tails?"

The Uchiha didn't reply. He only pointed to the feet that were sticking out of the plants. "Are you alright, Itachi? You look like you just saw a ghost." Kisame laughed. The thought of Itachi being afraid of anything, especially a ghost, was quite funny to him.

Itachi nodded. "I'm fine. The demon just transformed into a human."

A nervous laugh escaped Kisame, "You're joking, right?"

"You know I don't joke, Kisame." Itachi replied, walking over to the unconscious demon. He lifted him up, and held him carefully, showing him to his comrade. "See? Doesn't he look like a human?"

Kisame blinked, "Wow. He does. How is that possible?"

"I think this is his real form. Often, demons transform into animals to better utilize their powers because they draw their power from nature. Animals are truer to nature than humans are and a different form can increase or decrease their abilities. You saw what his fox form is capable of."

Kisame thought about it."Yeah, I know what you mean. When I merge with Samehada and transform into my full shark form, all of my water techniques are more powerful and my strength increases."

"Right..." replied the dark-haired man, sounding distracted.

Itachi's gaze had traveled to the demon he held, focusing on his face. His fellow hunter frowned slightly, unsure if he was really seeing this sight. Itachi had a strange expression on his face. It could almost be described as loving. Kisame rubbed the back of his head, and noticed a bump forming. He had a head wound. Realizing this, the shark demon sighed in relief. _I probably just have head trauma and I'm hallucinating because of it... That means I'm not going crazy._

Itachi snapped out of his reverie, and began walking away, "Let's go, Kisame. Our work here is done."

"Sure." Kisame responded. After a slight hesitation, he asked Itachi, "Do you want me to carry the demon back to the hideout?"

"No. I'll do it. You were injured in the fight and you still have to carry around Samehada."

"Alright. Do you want to at least put him in a cage in case he wakes up?" he suggested. He thought it was very peculiar of Itachi to do something like this. Ordinarily, the Uchiha would lock up the captive demon in a cage, and order Kisame to carry it back. It was mildly worrying because nothing ever seemed to affect Itachi. Was there something more to this demon than met the eye?

"It's fine, Kisame. If he does wake up, I'll just put him under a genjutsu to subdue him." Itachi answered, his voice as impassive as ever.

Hearing his tone and sound reasoning, Kisame relaxed a bit. Itachi sounded normal."I guess it's settled then. Now let's hurry up and get back. I can't wait to see everyone's face when they see that we caught the nine tailed fox."


	3. Unlike Anyone Else

Author's note: Hey there! Let's see... Story alerts... Check. Favorites... Check. Good reviews... Check. You know what that means, don't you? Well, I'll tell you. It means that I'm going to continue this story! Thank you so much for your support by reviewing, favoriting, and adding to this story to alerts. I'm really grateful and can't thank you guys enough. You totally rock! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Please read and review because I'd really appreciate an opinion on this chapter. In addition, I'm considering putting a lemon in this story, maybe by the fifth chapter, so I'd like to know what you would think about that...OK. I'm done. Let's begin, shall we?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto currently, but I'm working on it. ;)

3. Unlike Anyone Else

Darkness.

That's all the fox demon could see when he woke up. He rose slowly, feeling a weight around his neck. Touching it carefully, he realized a heavy steel collar was affixed to his throat. He tried to stand, but a chain attached to the collar limited his movements. Blindly feeling around, he discovered that he was locked in a small prison cell with stone floors and walls. The scent of previous captives was still present. Even more worrying, there was the unmistakable scent of old blood. Demon's blood.

Getting in to a sitting position, the fox demon growled softly, remembering what happened. The fight in the forest with the shark man had obviously ended badly for him. But more importantly, who was the other man with him? The fascinating red-eyed one with the alluring scent?

The young Kyuubi sighed, knowing that his tendency of being easily distracted had once again gotten him into trouble. But this time, he was in serious trouble._ Damn... Since when did humans get so attractive?_ The fox wondered, blue eyes steadily adjusting to the dark setting. The eyes widened, picking out a shape in the cell. It was a square. To be more specific, it was a neatly folded blanket atop a pillow. The fox sniffed them, wary of traps. Suddenly, he grinned in the darkness and buried his face in the soft fabric. The blanket and the pillow both carried the scent of the dark haired hunter from the forest. That wonderfully alluring, mildly intoxicating scent. The demon wasn't sure why, but all of a sudden, he felt as though everything would be alright.

At least, he hoped so.

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Itachi pushed open the door to the prison room, the heavy iron door scraping against the stone floor. Holding a lantern and small box, he entered the room, feeling just a hint of nervousness. Which, now that he thought about it, was very uncharacteristic of him. Nothing ever bothered him. Why should this simple task be any different?

"What do you want?" asked a voice, sounding angry. Itachi shone the lantern on the cage, illuminating the fox demon, who growled at the brightness. He covered his eyes. "Ow! You bastard! Don't you know that you aren't supposed to shine lights directly in someone's eyes?" The demon rubbed his eyes a moment longer, and then sniffed the air once he stopped. Blue eyes widened in surprise. When he spoke, he wasn't angry anymore, just curious with the faintest trace of being awestruck, "Who are you?"

"Itachi Uchiha, member of Akatsuki." Itachi answered, then added, "It's common courtesy to give your own name when you ask someone theirs."

"Oh, okay. My name is Naruto Uzumaki of the Land of Whirlpools. I'm the only child to Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze, and heir and leader to the Uzumaki clan, as well as being the last remaining nine tailed fox demon." he smiled broadly, "Pleased to meet you, Itachi.

"Likewise, Naruto-kun." Itachi said, noticing Naruto's dazzling smile.

"Anyway, why are you here, Itachi?" Naruto asked. It took the Uchiha a moment to remember why he had come. He slid the box he had brought with him into the demon's cage. ''That's for you."

Naruto picked up the box and opened it. He gasped, pulling out a bowl of cooked meat and a glass of water. "Food! Is this for me?" He asked, looking hopeful.

Itachi nodded, "Why else would I have given it to you?"

The blond shrugged, but didn't eat. He just licked his fangs in anticipation, staring at the meal. "Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?" Itachi asked.

"Well, I'd love to eat, but I'm a bit restricted." Naruto fingered the collar around his neck. "You think you can help me out?" He added with another smile.

Before he knew what he was doing, Itachi had opened the cell door and knelt in front of Naruto, who was sitting down. The Uchiha placed his hands around the collar, and removed it by unlocking it with a small key he had concealed within his sleeve. Truthfully, he didn't even know why he had brought it with him, but had done so nonetheless. It was irrational, but what he was doing right now (entering a cage with a powerful demon) was not only irrational, but it was the type of thing most people would consider to be suicidal.

Chained collar in hand, Itachi stood up and let Naruto eat. While the demon was preoccupied with his meal, Itachi found himself staring at Naruto, but forced himself to look away at the wall or anything else that wasn't Naruto. The nervousness he had been feeling earlier had not dissipated, but increased. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ Itachi asked himself. _This has never happened before... Why now?_

"I'm done!" Naruto exclaimed, holding his empty dishes for Itachi to see. Itachi blinked, snapping out of his mental worry. "That was quick." Itachi commented, sounding impassive.

Naruto nodded,"Yeah. I don't know how long I was knocked out, but I guess it was long enough to get an appetite." He scratched at his bare neck, and glanced at the collar that Itachi still held. Naruto sighed, "I need to wear that, right?"

"Yes."

"OK." Naruto stood in front of Itachi. He tilted his head up, revealing his neck. Itachi was surprised. Demons rarely ever exposed their necks so openly to anyone. According to their customs, showing the throat was a display of trust because one slash to the artery would likely result in death. In addition, it was widely known that ripping out the throat was a favorite attack of many breeds of demons, foxes included. Naruto's seemingly simple gesture was more meaningful than most people could guess.

Itachi opened the collar wide enough to fit around Naruto's neck, and put it on carefully and gently. He pushed the ends together slowly until a single _click_ of the lock could be heard. Afterward, Itachi hooked a finger between the steel and Naruto's skin to check the tightness of the collar. While he did this, he couldn't help but notice that the demon had soft skin, but now wasn't the time for a mildly inappropriate observation such as that.

"I've loosened the restraints. You'll have more room and it should be a little more comfortable now." he informed Naruto, whose gaze was fixed on him. "Thanks." Naruto said, and then added, "Your eyes are dark today. When I first saw you, they were red."

"Hn... That happens more often than you would think." Itachi replied, taking his hand away from Naruto. He turned away and left the cage, locking the door behind him. He checked the lock to make sure it was secure, and was about to leave the prisoner alone, but Naruto's voice was heard again, "Thank you for everything you've done so far for me. I really do appreciate it." he put the dishes he used back into the box, closed it, and pushed it through the bars. "Don't forget about this stuff."

"I wasn't going to." Itachi picked up the box, and locked eyes with Naruto, who looked worried. "I know about the Akatsuki and what they do." Naruto whispered urgently, "That's why I need to ask you this: What's going to happen to me?"

Itachi knew the standard protocol with many demons: kill them and then move on to the next target. While it was true that tailed-beasts like Naruto were special and required different tactics, the end results rarely changed. Death was part of the hunter's profession and the world itself, but Itachi couldn't bring himself to say this. Instead, he told Naruto something that he thought that summed up this unique situation, "I can't really say for certain what will happen because things rarely go _exactly _as planned. However, you will find out eventually, Naruto-kun. Just be patient."

With that cryptic statement, he left the demon alone.

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"Hey, Itachi. What the fuck took you so long?" Hidan asked as Itachi entered the meeting room. The Uchiha didn't reply and took his usual spot next to Kisame, who, along with all other Akatsuki members, was seated at a large stone table. Pein stood up and called the meeting to begin. "Now that everyone is present, we can discuss our most recent capture and what needs to happen next."

There was a collective sense of agreement in the room. The Nine-Tails had been captured two days ago, but no meeting had been called until now. Everyone had been on edge because Pein had always been quick to say what would happen, and when he didn't, it meant there was some kind of bad news waiting for them.

Pein's striped eyes scanned the room, waiting for everyone's attention. Once he felt had it, he spoke, "As you know, the Kyuubi is the most dangerous of all the tailed beasts. We can't use the normal method of chakra removal and execution. If we do, someone may be harmed or killed."

"What are you saying? We're going to let him go, un?" Deidara asked, irritated. His arm had been taken by the fox and he wasn't happy about the prospect of keeping him alive.

"I didn't say any such thing, Deidara. I assure you that the Kyuubi will fall at the hands of Akatsuki, but it will take special measures." Pein turned his attention to Itachi, "That is why I'm putting Itachi in charge of the demon's death."

"What the fuck?" Hidan exclaimed,"Why does he get to be in charge? What about the rest of us?"

"Calm down, Hidan. Let Pein-sama finish." Konan said, trying to mollify the silver-haired man. Hidan rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything else.

"As I was saying, I want Itachi in charge. He is the one that brought down the nine tails so he is better qualified than anyone here." Pein explained. Kisame had told him everything that happened during the hunt and the leader of Akatsuki had decided that Itachi had the best chance of getting rid of the demon once and for all. "Itachi, what do you feel should be our next course of action in this matter?"

Itachi didn't say anything, but several others offered their opinions.

"I think we should just rip him to pieces as soon as possible." Kisame stated, remembering his battle with the fox, and the damage to Samehada.

"Fuck that! I say that you give me a shot at him, and I'll finish him off!" Hidan declared confidently. Next to him, Kakuzu rolled his eyes, "You're as foolish as ever..."

"No! Sasori and I need to get payback from Kyuubi. This is our fight, un!" Deidara said. He had been humiliated twice, and needed to get vengeance to restore his hurt pride. Sasori didn't comment on his partner's words. He just wanted to forget about dealing with Kyuubi. As far as he was concerned, he had already done his part, and it was time to let someone else deal with it.

As everyone was voicing their opinions, Itachi had made his own decision regarding what to do, but first, he needed to shut everyone else up, "Will you all shut up already? You sound like a bunch of damned magpies!" Itachi yelled, whacking the table to show he was serious. The impact of his fist on the table had its desired effect and silence returned to the meeting room.

"First and foremost, I accept Leader-sama's offer as being in charge of Kyuubi. Second, I must point out that, as of now, we are currently understaffed because of Deidara's injury." He glanced at Deidara's new left arm that Kakuzu had given him. It needed at least a month to heal before it was fully functional again.

Itachi continued, "I propose that we keep Kyuubi around as a weapon for Akatsuki's use. He is clearly capable in battle and his keen senses would allow him to be an effective hunter."

Kisame grimaced at the idea. "Are you serious?" He didn't like the idea of keeping around such a danger so close by.

"Yes. I'm thinking of the best possible use for that kind of power. What would be better than turning a demon against another for our benefit? Besides, if he does fall in battle, it's one less demon to worry about and no Akatsuki will be injured or killed."

"Hmm... I think that's a good idea. It enables us to maximize our resources." Kakuzu agreed.

Konan nodded in approval, and even Hidan looked like he wanted to hear more. Soon, everyone had decided that Itachi's plan was the best by far. Despite this, Pein still had doubts, "How are you going to force the nine tails into agreement? It's highly unlikely he'd be willing to actively participate."

"I'm not going to force him into anything, but I will convince him."

All eyes turned to Itachi. How could he even think that was possible?

Ignoring everyone's questioning gaze, he continued, "Earlier, I went to see if the demon had woken up. He had, and was not hostile to my presence. In fact, he was very chatty, even offering his name and where he was from." he paused briefly to allow this information to sink in, and then resumed his explanation. "Naruto Uzumaki is his name, and he is unlike anyone else I've met before. I believe that he will be open to discuss helping us in exchange for keeping him alive longer."

"That's risky logic." Pein commented.

"I'm fully aware of that. However, life itself is a risk. I'm sure that is something we can all agree on and have experienced first-hand."

Itachi waited anxiously as Pein considered his words. If Pein didn't approve, Naruto's execution would be handled by Pein himself, and there would be nothing Itachi could do to stop it. The Uchiha knew that he was breaking tradition by helping Naruto, but he felt that he _needed_ to, and that compulsion was why he had seen him earlier, bringing him food, loosening his restraints, and leaving him the blanket and pillow. Normally, Itachi didn't care about any of his prey, but there was something different about Naruto, something unique. He truly was unlike anyone else.

"Well, Itachi, I must say that your reasoning was presented in a very eloquent way, but I don't believe that Kyuubi isn't just another demon that wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone of us. That said, you still have my approval. You may carry out your plan, but know that Kyuubi will still be treated as a threat and will be considered dangerous at all times. In addition, he will be eliminated once he is no longer considered necessary. I will make that decision when I deem it the right time. Am I understood?"

Itachi nodded.

"Excellent. This matter is settled, and Akatsuki will be one step closer to a world without demons. This meeting is over, and everyone is now dismissed."

The Akatsuki filed out of the meeting room and left, except for Itachi, who noticed Pein's gaze on him.

"I hope you know exactly what you're getting yourself into." Pein said to him. Itachi detected a hint of irritation in his tone. He was clearly against the plan, but went along with it because everyone else approved, and he couldn't think of another option.

"I know what I'm doing, Leader-sama." he replied, activating his Sharingan,"Have I ever failed before?"

Pein smiled faintly, "No, but you can't blame me for a being a bit wary. This idea of yours is rather different from your usual course of action."

"Like you said, this matter requires special measures. I'm just acting accordingly."

"Of course." Pein replied, sounding convinced.

Itachi turned away, and left towards the prison room. He was surprised that Pein believed him. Itachi had just lied directly to him about knowing what he was doing, but that wasn't too important. He would figure it out eventually because he _always_ did.

What was also surprising was the fact that the whole of Akatsuki had accepted his idea. He had just came up with it on the spot, but fortunately for him, Itachi had known what Pein and everyone else would want to hear. To make things even more complicated, he wasn't entirely sure why he had suggested keeping Naruto around, but the likeliest reason was that he _wanted_ to. He realized the possible implications of what that meant, but he put it out of his mind.

After all, it's not like he considered Naruto as something more than just prey. Any suggestion of that would be absolutely absurd. Not only that, but it was too ridiculous to even consider. It was impossible...

Wasn't it?


	4. Bitten

Author's note: Hello there! I'd like to start off by thanking all the awesome readers who have either reviewed or added this story to alerts or favorites. Thank you so very much! I truly appreciate anyone who stops by to see what this story is about! Anyway, here's the latest chapter. Please review and let me know what you think about it. OK... I'll let you get started now.

Disclaimer: Guess what? I do... NOT own Naruto... Shocking, isn't it?

**WARNING:** This chapter contains foul language, a little blood/violence, and yaoi. Reader discretion is advised...

4. Bitten

"Who's the dumbass who came up with this idea?" Hidan asked, irritated with the current situation. All Akatsuki members, except for Pein, were in the forest outside the hideout sitting in a loosely formed circle with Naruto sitting in the center, looking at each of them in turn. Despite being surrounded by people who devoted their lives to killing demons, Naruto was surprisingly at ease.

Konan frowned at Hidan, "It was my idea." She glanced at Naruto, who smiled at her, showing his fangs. She smiled in turn, trying to be polite, "Since Naruto is going to be working with us for a while, the least we can do is try to teach him what we're about so there's no confusion regarding what he needs to do."

"I already know about Akatsuki. You guys are some of the best demon hunters around. I don't think I've met any kind of demon who hadn't at least heard of you in some way or another." Naruto said, sounding cheerful and impressed by them.

"Is that so? It's good to know that our work is well-known." Konan replied, pleased.

"That's nice and all, but aren't you angry about the fact that you now need to kill your fellow demons? Doesn't it bother you?" Sasori asked the demon. Deidara smacked Sasori on the arm and whispered hurriedly, "You idiot! Are you trying to piss him off, un?"

Hearing this Naruto turned his gaze to Deidara, who flinched upon meeting his eyes. It was clear that the explosives master was still wary of the nine-tailed demon. To his surprise, Naruto grinned, "It takes a lot more than a question to bother me." He turned his face to the look at the sky, a contemplative expression present. "I don't mind fighting other demons. It really doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I've been fighting for years, for as long as I can remember. I guess demons are like that. We can kill each other without a shred of guilt or hesitation, so I don't mind helping you guys out."

"That's probably one of the most thought-out things I've heard a demon say in quite a while." Kakuzu commented. He pointed at Hidan, who was clearly bored and disinterested in the conversation. "It's much better than the nonsense this one spews day in and day out."

"What is that supposed to mean, Kakuzu?" Hidan demanded to know. "Are you saying that I'm stupid?

"Yes. I have been saying that for years, I'm glad you're finally listening." retorted Kakuzu. In addition to managing the Akatsuki's finances, another of Kakuzu's hobbies included annoying Hidan. It was fairly easy to do and the results were almost immediate.

"You fucking bastard! I swear to Jashin. I'm going to kill you if you keep saying shit like that!" Hidan threatened him. The hooded man wasn't bothered by his partner's words. "Hidan, you couldn't kill me even if you tried."

The silver-haired man raised his triple-bladed scythe menacingly, "That's it! I swear I'm going to -"

"Knock it off, Hidan! This is no way to behave!" Konan chided, raising her voice. "Kakuzu, you know better than to say such things. If both of you don't stop acting ridiculous right now, I'll make you stop!"

"But he started it!" Hidan protested while Kakuzu remained quietly amused.

"I know. That's why both of you need to stop. We have business we need to attend to and I will not fall behind schedule." Konan declared. The feuding partners exchanged looks, but said nothing more, not wanting to anger the woman further. In addition to being second in command, Konan was regarded as an older-sister type authority figure to nearly all of the Akatsuki members. She was stern, but fair, and didn't tolerate any time-wasting. In addition, like any older sister, she was scary when she got angry.

Konan addressed the group, "Anyway, let's get back to business. In addition to introducing our organization to Naruto, I feel that it would be in our best interest to properly introduce ourselves as individuals."

"What the hell? I'm not doing that shit." Hidan said.

Keeping her composure, Konan ignored him, focusing on Naruto who seemed entertained with the exchange between Hidan and Kakuzu. "Since there is so much childish behavior, I'll start first. My name is Konan and I help lead the Akatsuki. All of us fight in teams of two and my partner is our leader, Pein-sama."

She gestured to Deidara who sat to the left of her. He nodded in understanding, "OK. I'm Deidara, the artist. I believe that the best art is an explosion, un." He narrowed his blue eyes slightly, "Naruto, I'm sure you recall that we've met before, un."

Naruto nodded, "Sure. I bit off one of your arms. By the way, I didn't eat it or anything like that. I just spit it out."  
>Deidara winced at the thought, but didn't say anything, afraid of having another body part torn off. He elbowed Sasori in the side, prompting the red-head to talk. Sasori sighed, "Sasori is my name, and I hate to be kept waiting. I'm an artist as well, but I believe that true art is something that can last a long time and doesn't disappear in an instant. Deidara's my partner, and art is one thing we often argue about.''<p>

"Yeah. I know who you are. I whacked you with one of my tails and you crashed into a mountain." Naruto said, remembering their meeting,

"Yes... How could I forget?" Sasori mumbled. He still had a headache from that day.

Next in line was Kakuzu. "Well, little Kyuubi, I'm Kakuzu. I hunt demons for the money that they bring in. You're a particular valuable one and worth keeping around. I suppose that makes you lucky in a sense."

"Oh... I guess that's nice to know." Naruto replied. He looked at Hidan expectantly.

Rolling his purple eyes and feeling Konan's glare on him, Hidan spoke, "This is stupid, but whatever... Hidan is my name and I won't hesitate to kill anyone that bothers me too much, including you. I don't give a shit about much, especially my money-obsessed, son of a bitch partner, Kakuzu."

''You're sort of a jackass yourself." Naruto commented.

Hidan laughed, "Damn right, you little shit!"

"Let's continue." Konan said, trying to hurry the introductions along. She glanced at Kisame. The shark demon addressed Naruto, "Hey. I'm sure you know me because I'm the guy that was blasting you with explosive water sharks. Name's Kisame Hoshigaki. I'm a demon like you, but I had a human father and shark demon mother."

The fox demon's eyes widened, "You're a hybrid. That's pretty rare around here."

Kisame shrugged, "It's rare, but not helpful. My lineage has been more problematic than you would think." Hybrid demons were not considered to be not exactly human or demon and were often treated poorly by both types of beings. It was especially true for Kisame, whose physical appearance was clearly of mixed parentage. "Anyway, my partner is Itachi, the one who captured you."

Naruto smiled broadly at Itachi, whose own slight smile was concealed by the high collar of his cloak. "Itachi and I have already met." the fox demon said.

"Yes, I had guessed as much. He is the one that informed me that you would be willing to work with Akatsuki temporarily.'' Konan said, noticing Naruto's gaze linger on Itachi longer than anyone else. She dismissed it as nothing more than gratitude. "The introductions are now complete, with the exceptions of Pein-sama and Zetsu. Our leader has business to attend to and Zetsu is our scout. As a result, he shows up every so often, but works alone, reporting directly to Pein-sama. Naruto, you will meet them both at a later time, but they are already aware of your presence."

The demon nodded, "Okay. Anything else?"

"Yes. Today will be your first official assignment, Naruto. You are to join Hidan and Kakuzu on a mission to stop a small band of demons from attacking a village approximately thirty-five miles from our current location."

"Which village?" Kakuzu inquired.

"Kusa village. Beyond the forest and to the north, on a hill over-looking a valley." Konan explained.

Kakuzu shook his head, "No. Count me out. Last time I went there, I was attacked by their idiotic guardsmen because they thought I was the demon. I had no trouble killing them, but it was still more trouble than it was worth. Send someone else in my place."

Konan sighed, "Very well, Kakuzu. You are excused." She turned to Itachi, "Would you mind going taking filling in for Kakuzu?"

"That's fine, Konan. I'll go." Itachi replied. He didn't know how Hidan might react being alone with Naruto and wanted to make sure the two of them didn't fight. The fox demon could take down Hidan, but killing him would undoubtedly earn Naruto an early execution.

The blue-haired woman looked relieved, "Thank you, Itachi. Make sure Hidan doesn't go crazy and hurt anybody."

Hidan snorted, "When have I ever done that?"

"During the two-tail's capture, you ended up destroying half a village." Konan reminded him.

The silver-haired man grinned, "Yeah, I remember. That was fun."

"That's precisely what worries me." Konan sighed once before addressing everyone present, "Now that this is settled, the rest of us can return to the hideout. We have a big assignment coming in a few days and we'll all need our rest. Itachi, Naruto, and Hidan, you may leave now. This meeting is adjourned."

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Just as Konan had described, Kusa village was located on the top of a hill overlooking a valley. After climbing the hill, the Akatsuki members and Naruto reached Kusa.

The village was fairly large, with a water well in the center and large wooden homes around it. Gardens of both fruits and vegetables were bare, having been harvested in the fall and was being prepared to be sold for the winter. Because of the produce grown in Kusa, it was a fairly busy place, full of merchants and travelers. Today, however, no one was around. The only signs of recent activity were footprints and blood trails that led to the heart of the village. Terrified screams could also be heard in the distance.

Naruto looked around and sniffed the breeze, "There are about twenty demons here. I think they rounded up the humans and driven them to the center of the village."

Hidan nodded, "Sounds good. Let's get those fuckers!"

Before either Itachi or Naruto could say anything, Hidan raced forward, eager for battle. The two exchanged looks of agreement and followed his lead towards the sounds of demons screeching and humans screaming.

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Pools of blood dyed the grass crimson as Hidan's scythe cut through the flesh and sinew of an imp. The creature didn't stand a chance against the attack and hit the earth limply, its body severed in two. Hidan kicked the carcass out of his way, disgusted. "Damn thing couldn't even put up a decent fight." He remarked, then looked around and spotted Itachi, "Hey Itachi! How are things on your end?"

Itachi didn't reply. The Uchiha was surrounded by six humanoid snake demons. They hissed threateningly, fangs bared. Itachi wasn't scared by their display. He stood there, stoic as ever.

Suddenly, one lunged for his throat. Sharingan activated, he caught the demon by the neck and spun around with it, using it as a living shield as the others attacked him, one by one. The captured demon was the only one who sustained damage, having had chunks of flesh ripped off by its fellow allies. Itachi dropped the wounded beast and crushed its skull beneath his boot, killing it. The remaining demons looked stunned, not believing their eyes. "What are you waiting for?" Itachi asked, taunting them. They screeched and attacked once more. This time, Itachi went for the direct approach, choosing to fight each one individually, armed with only a kunai knife.

"Aren't you going to help him?"

Hidan jumped, startled. He glared at Naruto, who appeared next to him, "Dumbass! Don't scare me like that!"

"You're the dumbass, Hidan. You should be more aware of your surroundings!" Naruto countered. Hidan wasn't listening. Instead, he was focused on watching Itachi fight.

Naruto repeated his question, "Aren't you going to help Itachi?"  
>Hidan shook his head and gestured to the scene in front of them, "Shut up and watch."<p>

Naruto did as he was told and followed Hidan's gaze to the battle. Itachi was doing extremely well against the demons. He fought skillfully, easily avoiding their attacks and countering them effortlessly. His kicks, punches and slashes with the kunai were perfectly timed and coordinated. To Naruto, Itachi's movements were so graceful, it seemed as though they just part of an elaborate, yet dangerous dance. It was absolute amazing to him, and it only increased Naruto's fascination with the Uchiha.

Hidan, on the other hand, wasn't as amazed as the blond, but was still mildly impressed. The scythe-wielder had seen this sight many times, but he did have to admit that Itachi was very skilled. "Damn perfect bastard." Hidan muttered.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, not really hearing him. The blond's full attention was captured by Itachi's fight.

"That bastard has never failed. Not even once. He's just that good." Hidan said, and then added, "You know, sometimes it seems like Itachi makes the rest of us Akatsuki look bad by comparison, but at least he keeps quiet about it. I guess he's just a lucky son of a bitch who is naturally great at everything he does."

This caught Naruto's attention, "Everything?"

Hidan shrugged, "Why not? It really seems like that's the type of person he is."

"Hmm..." was Naruto's reply. His mind was suddenly preoccupied with wondering if Itachi would be as good a mate as he was a fighter. The idea occurred to him because it was the beginning of winter and he knew most fox demons acquired a mate during this time of year. Although Naruto had never previously had a mate, he felt like he knew a good mate when he saw one. The Uchiha was both attractive and skilled. To the young Kyuubi, he was ideal. The only question was if Itachi would even agree to such a thing...

_I guess there's only way to find out_... he thought, a mischievous smile on his lips.

Both of the returned their attention to the battle. All the demons that had surrounded Itachi were now on the floor, dead or dying. Itachi himself was unharmed and was standing in the middle of the carnage. He took a deep breath and exhaled a jet of flame, incinerating the corpses and burning the rest alive.

Once the smoke cleared, Itachi's eyes returned to their normal obsidian shade. He glanced around, taking note of the twenty dead demons on the ground and the scared, yet grateful inhabitants of Kusa. The villagers had gone into hiding when the fighting had begun and were now warily coming out from various hiding spots behind houses and other structures. Several people stared at Hidan, Itachi, and especially Naruto. After a moment's hesitation, an old woman who walked with a limp approached the trio of demon hunters.

"Thank you, Akatsuki. Your bravery and selflessness is very much appreciated. My village would have been lost without your intervention." She said softly. A small smile formed on her face as she looked at Naruto. "Especially you, young man."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed, "It was nothing..."

"What did he do?" Itachi asked her, curious.

"He made sure all of the citizens of Kusa were safe before he participated in the battle, and was sure to get the wounded to the medics." The elderly woman explained, then added,"It's truly wondrous how helpful the Akatsuki are. The country is lucky to have such angels protecting us against these monstrous demons."

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Once they had left Kusa village, Naruto, Itachi and Hidan travelled back through the forest to the Akatsuki's base, discussing how the mission had went.

"We kicked ass today!" Hidan said proudly.

Itachi nodded,"I agree. Today was a success." He looked at Naruto, who appeared to be lost in his thoughts. "Naruto-kun, is something wrong?"

The demon shook his head,"No. I was just thinking that is was weird that people kept thanking me as we were leaving. Normally, I scare all humans... It's just surprising to me, that's all."

Hidan snorted, "Who'd be scared of you?"

"If you had to fight me in my full fox form, I'd bet you would've pissed your pants in fear." Naruto replied, grinning.

"Ha! Yeah right, you little shit!" Hidan answered with a laugh. "You know, you're weird for a tailed-beast. You're all happy and stupid; it's sorta freaky. I'm not used to that type of attitude, especially from a demon. That said, I'd still love to fight you if I got the chance..."

Naruto responded with a laugh, thinking Hidan was just kidding. Unfortunately, the scythe wielder wasn't. With the help of Kakuzu, he had already taken down one tailed beast and wanted another challenging match with another. Everybody knew that they were the strongest type among all demons. The strength of the tailed beasts was determined from the amount of tails they had, with one being the least amount and nine being the most. Since Naruto was the Kyuubi, he was widely believed to be the best of the best. Even though Naruto was currently his ally, Hidan still wanted to test his skills against him.

"Yo, Naruto." Hidan called to the blond. Once he got Naruto's attention, he asked,"Wanna have a quick match? We're almost back to the hideout anyway, so a brief detour won't hurt."

Itachi immediately began to glare at Hidan, warning him to shut up now or else. He knew that Hidan was prone to getting out of control and the last thing he needed was to deal with that. In addition, Itachi didn't want to run the risk of Naruto getting hurt. "No, Hidan. This isn't the time for that." Itachi told him.

"I wasn't talking to you, Itachi." Hidan replied, ignoring the Uchiha's glare. "What do think, Naruto?"

There was a quiet tension for a moment as Naruto considered Hidan's suggestion. Hidan clearly wanted this match but Itachi was obviously against the idea and Naruto didn't want to start any trouble among the Akatsuki. Besides, Naruto didn't feel like fighting right now anyway. "I'm always up for a challenge, but not right now. Maybe some other time, Hidan."

"Are you serious?" Hidan asked, annoyed. His annoyance doubled when he saw the subtle and triumphant smirk that adorned Itachi's face. The scythe-wielder was sure that Naruto had only said no because of the Uchiha's presence.

"Damn Itachi... ruining my fun..." he grumbled, using his scythe and frustration to cleave a new, uneven path through the forest. Hidan increased his pace, walking ahead of Itachi and Naruto. The two of them followed him hesitantly, wary of the broken tree branches in their way.

Hidan noticed their delay, "C'mon, you two! What the fuck is taking so long?" He cut down another tree branch and pushed another out of his way. The second branch was flexible and did not break. Instead, he held it down, leaning against it as he waited for his companions to catch up to him. Once Itachi and Naruto were only a few paces behind him, Hidan continued on his path, letting the trapped tree branch go. Once free, it swung forward swiftly, the sharp end slicing through the wind and into the right side of Itachi's face as he walked by. Irritated, Itachi ripped off the offending branch and threw it at Hidan, hitting him on the back of his head.

Hidan turned around, "What the fuck was that for?" he exclaimed.

"You missed a tree branch." Itachi said calmly.

"Big deal! I -" Hidan stopped talking as he saw that Itachi's face was now bleeding. He blinked slowly, realizing that he had accidently wounded the Uchiha by letting that branch go. "It's not like I did it on purpose!" Hidan said, trying to defend himself.

Itachi said nothing, but his dark eyes had just turned Sharingan-red. Hidan knew what that meant. _Oh, shit... He's pissed. _Not wanting to face the Uchiha's wrath, Hidan cut through the forest faster. This time, he was careful to cut down _everything_ in his way to the Akatsuki's base.

Itachi's eyes returned to their normal color once Hidan was sufficiently ahead of him. He paused briefly, touching his face to feel how much he had bled. He grimaced, uncomfortable, as he felt the warm liquid drip down towards his neck.

"What's up, Itachi?" Naruto asked, wondering why the man had stopped walking. Itachi shook his head, looking at the blood on the fingers of his right hand, "It's nothing, Naruto-kun. I just got grazed. I'll be fine."

Naruto scented the blood and stepped close to him, looking at Itachi's face and the trail of blood that started at his cheek and was slowly making its way down his neck towards his collar bone.

Liking the scent of the blood, Naruto licked his own lips at the sight, "Can I see?" he asked, staring rather openly.

Puzzled with Naruto's intense scrutiny, Itachi moved his hair from his face to allow Naruto to inspect the wound. Naruto leaned close to him and stood on his tip-toes so he was nearly eye-level with the taller Uchiha. Itachi met Naruto's gaze, and noticed the demon had a strange look in his blue eyes. The once-clear orbs were now glazed over with a unique type of hunger that Itachi failed to recognize; lust.

Itachi looked away from Naruto, who moved closer to him and sniffed his face and the ruby-colored liquid. "Can I take care of that for you?" Naruto whispered in his ear, his breath sending chills down Itachi's spine. The Akatsuki member nodded only once to give his consent and closed his eyes.

Naruto put his hands on the dark-haired man's shoulders and pulled the high collar of Itachi's cloak down. The demon ran his tongue across the cut on his face, licking at the blood on his skin. Itachi shivered slightly at the contact, but didn't feel like pushing Naruto away. Instead, he allowed him to continue, focusing on the arousing feel of Naruto's warm tongue on his skin.

Naruto moved lower, licking off the red liquid from Itachi's jawline. He pulled away once the area was clean and began to unbutton Itachi's cloak. Itachi watched as Naruto's hands worked diligently to undo the buttons. Once he reached the lower center of Itachi's chest, Naruto stopped. Wordlessly, he pulled the cloak down further, exposing Itachi's collarbone.

He pushed back his shirt to resume his task of lapping at the Uchiha's skin. Naruto picked up from where he left off below the jawline, and licked Itachi's neck, going lower until he reached the end of the blood trail. Once the last drop was gone and the skin was clean, Naruto licked the area once more before he kissed Itachi's neck. Itachi's breath hitched involuntary as Naruto began alternately sucking and nibbling at the base of his neck, leaving behind a large hickey to mark the spot. Suddenly, Naruto bit down on the area, sharp fangs cutting into the flesh.

Itachi gasped, shocked as Naruto began to bite deeper, drawing blood. Even more shocking was the fact that Itachi wasn't in too much pain. Although the bite did burn a little, he liked the way it hurt. Being bitten actually felt... good. After close to thirty seconds, Naruto withdrew his fangs and began to glide his tongue over the newly-formed wound. His movements were gentle, almost like an apology for the injury.

Once he was finished, Naruto pulled away from Itachi, seeming to wait for a reaction. He got one when Itachi clutched at the bite wound, panting. His whole body felt very hot all of a sudden. It was though his blood in his veins was set on fire, but it wasn't a harmful fire. It was just uncomfortably hot... and craving.

"What did you do to me?" Itachi asked, gritting his teeth to prevent himself from panting.

"You're a smart human. I'm sure you'll figure it out." Naruto responded, grabbing Itachi's hand and noticing the drying blood on his fingers. Itachi's eyes widened as Naruto brought the bloodied digits to his mouth and licked them clean, making sure to swirl his tongue around each of them sensually. This only added to Itachi's arousal and immediately prompted him to wonder what else Naruto would be willing to do with his tongue...

At last, Naruto stopped and released his hand, cutting short Itachi's dirty thoughts. He straightened out Itachi's cloak and re-buttoned it. The demon studied his face a moment, and smiled, "You're not bleeding anymore. I told you I'd take care of it."

Naruto brushed some dirt off Itachi and casually added, "If you want me to, I'll give you a hint about what I did just now." Itachi nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Alright. Just think of what I did as an 'invitation.' You don't have to accept it, but I'd really like it if you did." He grinned in a mischievous way, and added, "Who knows? You might even like it yourself..."

With that, Naruto strode away, leaving behind a very hot and bothered Uchiha who was in dire need of a cold shower and seriously considering taking Naruto up on his offer, whatever it was.


	5. Reason and Instinct

Author's note: Hey. As always, I must thank my awesome readers for stopping by and adding this story to alerts and faves. Thank you! To my incredible reviewers: You guys rock! I really appreciate your opinions on this story and can only hope that you will continue to follow it! Anyway, before you read this chapter, I have some news concerning it. There is a lemon in this chapter. I'm fully aware that many people don't like lemons so I've marked them with warnings so that way anybody can skip it if they want to while still being able to read the rest of the story. Rest assured, I have no intention of filling this story with lemons. By the way, this is the first lemon I've ever written and I would like some feedback on it, whether you though it was good, bad, or just okay. My readers' opinions are very important to me and I will respect them all. It doesn't matter if it's praise for something you liked or constructive criticism on something you didn't; all opinions matter. I guess that's it... Please read and review. If you do, you shall be rewarded with cyber cookies and milk.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I do not own a pony either. I do have several dogs, though.

**WARNING:** This chapter contains mild language and yaoi, more specifically, a lemon. Reader discretion is strongly advised...

5. Reason and Instinct

Four days had passed since Naruto had bitten Itachi. The wound on Itachi's neck had stopped bleeding and the only physical evidence of it ever existing at all were the teeth marks still present on his skin. Nobody else knew about the bite and Itachi wanted to keep it that way. He succeeded simply by wearing shirts that hid the bite. It seemed as though the whole incident had just been a one-time occurrence and the Uchiha would be able to forget all about it eventually. At least, that's what Itachi had originally assumed.

However, since getting the bite, Itachi couldn't think of anything except that day, and what Naruto had meant by it being an 'invitation.' These thoughts had led to a particular salacious dream involving Itachi in a room alone with Naruto, who was chained to a bed and wearing nothing but those chains. In the dream, Itachi had asked Naruto what he'd be willing to do for his freedom and Naruto had told him that he would do anything Itachi wanted him to do. Needless to say, Itachi had slept poorly that night and had woken up stiff in more ways than one.

The lack of sleep and fantasizing about Naruto was beginning to take its toll on Itachi. Normally, his focus was unbreakable, but now the slightest thing distracted him. In fact, he was beginning to feel as though he was going insane, but those feelings were quelled by his rationality which stated that there was nothing to make him insane and no reason why he should be insane, therefore he wasn't and couldn't be insane. This was very sound and logical reasoning, but it did no good because what Itachi the demon hunter didn't realize was that he wasn't feeling craziness... It was actually lust for Naruto, the nine-tailed fox demon who had bitten and marked him as a mate. Itachi could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had known this sooner...

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* * *

><p>"Does everyone understand this assignment?" Pein asked, standing in front of the assembled Akatsuki. Everyone nodded affirmatively, save for Itachi. He had other things on his mind. Konan noticed, and made a mental note about it, but didn't comment.<p>

"Just so we're clear, what is our objective?" Pein inquired to Sasori. The red-head sighed, growing impatient with this review. "Hunt and capture the Hachibi."

"Where are we going?"

Deidara answered this time, "The Eight-Tail's exact location is unknown, but reports indicate that he is somewhere near the village of Kumo, in the Land of Thunder. That's where we are going, un."

"What is your role in the assignment?"

The explosives master sighed, rubbing his left arm, "I'm on surveillance duty only. No combat because of my Kyuubi-related injury, un."

Pein nodded, satisfied with the partners' responses. "Very good, Deidara and Sasori." The leader turned his attention to Kakuzu, "Now tell me, why do we all need to go to Kumo?"

"The demon is probably expecting us and will have put traps nearby. The more of us there are, the better chance we'll have at success and we'll be able to help each out, if necessary." Kakuzu replied.

"When are we leaving and returning?"

"We are leaving before sunset today, and traveling separately. If nothing happens and the reports of the Hachibi sightings are false, then we may return in less than two, but no longer than three days." Kisame answered.

"Excellent. It seems as though you all understand. You have less than thirty minutes to prepare for departure." Pein informed them.

"Why the fuck can't we leave now? What difference is thirty minutes gonna make?" Hidan asked, annoyed. The Land of Thunder was far away and he wasn't looking forward to going all that distance for a possible false lead on Hachibi's whereabouts.

Next to him, Kakuzu sighed. As usual, Hidan was being disrespectful to their leader. To be fair, the silver-haired man was always disrespectful to just about everyone, with the rare exception of Konan, but the exact reason for his moments of respect for her were unknown.

The leader of Akatsuki was unfazed by Hidan's attitude. He had dealt with it many times before and it no longer bothered him. "Since you seem so eager to make the journey, Hidan, you may leave now..." Pein paused briefly, "Only if Kakuzu is ready to go."

"Well, Kakuzu?" Hidan asked, annoyed with both his leader and partner.

Kakuzu smirked beneath his mask, "No, Hidan. I still have some matters to attend to. I'll probably need at least an hour or so."

"What? You gotta be fucking kidding me!" Hidan cried, outraged.

"Sorry, Hidan." Kakuzu said, although he clearly didn't mean it. In truth, Kakuzu didn't have anything he needed to do, but it was too much fun to pass up an opportunity to make Hidan angry. It really was one of the best hobbies for Kakuzu to have.

Hidan stormed off, muttering and swearing to himself. Pein was amused by this, but it didn't show on his face. He rarely showed emotion and his strange, striped eyes couldn't be read by anyone. It was fitting that he was like that. After all, Pein was the enigmatic leader of the mysterious Akatsuki.

"Prepare yourselves for the upcoming journey. It certainly won't be easy." Pein informed them before he too left the meeting room. The demon hunters filed out of the room to prepare as Pein had told them. In the hallway, Itachi heard someone calling him.

"Itachi, may I have a word with you?" Konan requested.

Itachi didn't say anything, but turned his gaze to Konan, giving her his full attention. "Forgive me if I'm prying, but you seem distracted lately. Are you ill?" she asked, concerned. Ever since he had joined the Akatsuki when he was only fifteen, Konan always treated him kindly and respectfully. She had known Itachi seven years and had always viewed him as the younger brother she never had.

"No, Konan, I'm fine." he said.

Konan's amber eyes narrowed slightly, showing her disbelief with his words. "Are you sure? If you aren't up to the mission, I can arrange for you to stay here."

This gave Itachi an idea. If everyone was gone, then he could sneak into Pein's private study and figure out what the bite meant. Pein's study housed hundreds of books and scrolls regarding just about every demon known to man. Surely it would contain something about the Kyuubi. After a second of debate, Itachi decided to put his plan into action.

"To be honest, I have been feeling out of sorts lately." Itachi admitted. The woman nodded, "Yes. Your behavior has been a little different from normal since the capture of the Kyuubi."

Itachi's eyes widened almost unperceptively. Did Konan suspect anything regarding Naruto and him? Not that anything was going on, of course...

"I think you're just overworked." Konan said, a reassuring smile on her lips. "Everyone needs to rest occasionally, even you Itachi. I'll speak to Pein-sama and let him know that it wouldn't be a good idea for you go to Kumo with us."

Itachi sighed in relief. "Thank you, Konan. Rest is a good idea."

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"Hang on a minute... You're not going with us?" Kisame asked Itachi. They were in Itachi's room and Kisame was leaning against the doorway while Itachi was seated at the foot of his own bed. The Uchiha shook his head. "No. Konan wanted me to stay here."

The shark demon looked disappointed, "Then who is supposed to be my partner for this mission?"

"Konan. Pein said that he has some last-minute business to attend to and will not be joining this mission. She doesn't have a partner and you don't either, so you two are partners." Itachi said, remembering what Konan had told him after she had spoken to Pein on his behalf. Oddly enough, Pein hadn't questioned Itachi's reasons or Konan's suggestion of him not going to hunt for Hachibi. It was very unusual because normally Pein didn't like it when somebody declined an assignment, no matter what their reasons. That raised questions regarding why Pein himself wasn't going on this mission. Whatever business he needed to take care of, it was clearly very important and couldn't wait.

Kisame sighed, "Konan, huh? She's a pretty good fighter, but I don't know if our fighting styles are compatible."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Kisame."

"I guess, but you're going to be missing out on a fun time. This is the Hachibi we're talking about. You sure you don't want to go?" Kisame asked, hopeful that Itachi would change his mind, but at the same time, was fully aware that Itachi wouldn't.

"I'm sure." Itachi replied, then smirked slightly, "Don't forget that I captured Naruto-kun, the Kyuubi."

The shark demon grinned, "Heh... How could any of us forget? Well, at least one of us could get a shot at the Hachibi so you don't get all the glory." Kisame turned away, "Anyway, I got to get going. Later, Itachi. I hope you feel better or fix whatever's bugging you."

"Hn... I hope so as well."

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Pein's study was located at the very edge of the Akatsuki's base. It was only accessible by going through the maze of passages that made up the southern part of the base. The southern part was the only section that was built in this way. Every other part was more simple and straight forward. Pein had designed the southern area himself and gave no reason as to why it was so different. To everyone else, the area was avoided for fear of getting lost and invoking their leader's wrath.

Itachi, however, was not everyone else. His Sharingan enabled him to see what was really there and revealed that many of the different twisting corridors were actually just clever illusions. The Uchiha was currently having an easy time of navigating the passages and in less than ten minutes found the room he was looking for.

A thick oak door with a lock was the only thing blocking access to the study. Itachi knew a key was nearby, but hidden. He studied the stone wall near the door and found one rock that was just a tiny bit different from its neighbors. It was the only piece of the wall that wasn't cracked. Itachi prodded and pulled at stone, which didn't budge. After a moment, he pulled out kunai and stabbed it into the surrounding fractures. To his surprise, the unblemished stone wiggled, sufficiently loosening it from the wall. Itachi yanked it free, revealing an old steel key that had been hidden behind it.

Itachi put the key into the lock, and unlocked the door. He turned the knob and stepped into a fairly large room. Bookcases that reached the ceiling adorned three of the room's walls containing at least a thousand different books and a ladder leaned against the wall to aid in reaching the uppermost books. In front of one bookcase and to the left of the entrance was a desk and chair. A single pen lay atop an open book on the desk. Itachi studied the layout and memorized the exact location of everything in the room. He knew that Pein would be furious to find out about his presence here so he would need to make the room look as though nobody had entered it by making sure everything was in its exact place after he left.

Not knowing where to start, Itachi climbed the ladder and pulled some random books from the shelves. They consisted of an atlas, wild bird guide, and dictionary. Not very helpful selections, but he had no intention of giving up so easily. He put the books in their proper place and tried again. Once again, he had no luck and found nothing useful.

Before he knew it, three hours of searching had passed. Itachi was seriously considering throwing in the towel when a small book with its cover torn off caught his eye. Originally, he had ignored the little book because it resembled a children's story book, complete with few sentences and many pictures. Upon further examination, it was actually a sketch book of demons, one of which contained a pair of nine-tailed foxes. The picture was the only in the book that was colored, revealing the details of the pair. One had bright golden-yellow fur and the other was smaller with glossy red fur. Both were facing forward, sitting in a field of grass, watching the artist who recorded their image. At the bottom of the page was a faded caption: _Here sits they who rule our lands. He guards her, and she guards the precious life inside... Their souls and hearts are one, being bound by an eternal reminder for all of time...  
><em>  
>There was more to the caption, but the words were too faded to be deciphered. Beneath the caption was a page number and name of another book for further reference. Itachi set the picture book down and found an old tome tucked into the corner of a shelf. He flipped through it to the mentioned page and saw a sketch of nine-tailed fox, teeth bared savagely. A short description below the image listed the creature's vital statistics, such as height, weight, demeanor, diet and reproductive cycle. According to the book, the Kyuubi species selected their mates in winter and had their kits the following autumn. They were a very picky type of demon and would be exceptionally choosy about their mate, insisting on only what they wanted. In addition, the Kyuubi would leave a specific marking on the mate they chose that would serve as a deterrent to anybody else considering that same mate as well as an 'invitation' of sorts...<p>

Eyes widened, Itachi flipped the page and saw a familiar image. It was a bite mark, not unlike the one present on his own skin. It was sketched in dried blood, not ink. A hastily scrawled note explained what it meant: _To_ _be marked is considered a compliment._ _It means you are worthy to be mate. Like any offer, it can be declined or accepted, but many agree that there is no conscious decision-making involved. Instinct prevails every time. One who is bitten can feel what needs to happen and will act on instinct according to what the situation may require or what they desire._

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Bored, Naruto scratched at the wall, his nails leaving impressions behind on the paint. He glanced around at his room. Since becoming a temporary member of Akatsuki, Naruto was no longer in a small prison cell. He was now confined in a decent sized room with a small bed and dresser. It looked like a normal bedroom, except for the re-enforced metal door that opened only from the outside. Being in the room was boring, but was still better than being locked up.

The demon was about to fall asleep when a soft knock alerted him of someone at the door. The lock clicked, and the door was pushed open, the hinges squeaking in protest. A grin appeared on Naruto's face upon seeing the visitor. "What's up, Itachi?" He asked the dark-haired man.

Itachi didn't reply at first, thinking about how to reply. "Nothing, Naruto-kun." He hesitated a moment, "Can I speak to you in private?"

Naruto blinked, surprised, "Uh, okay... I guess. What's on your mind?"

"Not here. I'd like to do this somewhere else." Itachi responded. Naruto noticed he sounded off somehow, like nervous, worried, or unsure about something.

"Sure." Naruto got off his bed and followed Itachi through the hallway and through a few twists and turns. On the trip, he sniffed the air, noticing no one besides them was around. "Where is everyone today?" He asked.

"A mission." Itachi answered tersely, thoughts focused elsewhere.

The Kyuubi didn't ask any more questions, and remained quiet until they reached their destination. Itachi went into his bedroom and beckoned Naruto to follow him. He did, and couldn't help but notice that the Uchiha had a huge bedroom. There was a couch, several dressers, and a nightstand next to large bed. Upon seeing the bed, Naruto wondered comfortable it would be to sleep in it.

Itachi removed his Akatsuki cloak, draping it over the couch. He turned to Naruto, who was still looking around curiously.

"Naruto-kun, do you remember this?" He ran his hand over the bite mark on the right side of the base of his neck.

"Of course." Naruto replied, half worried that Itachi might not have been too thrilled about the mark.

"Don't you wish to know what I've decided about it?"

Naruto couldn't interpret how exactly Itachi would react. The dark-haired man's voice was too even and calm to make any guesses. "Tell me, Itachi."

"I'd rather show you..." Itachi said, voice husky and low. Naruto gasped as the Uchiha leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth passionately. He licked and nibbled Naruto's lower lip. The demon's jaw slackened, shocked. Itachi used this opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth and across Naruto's own tongue. He pulled away only to take a much needed breath.

The two of them looked at each other, each making a split second decision on what they wanted. Naruto quickly removed his orange jacket, tossing to the floor and attacked Itachi's mouth with his own lips. Itachi responded with equal enthusiasm, kissing Naruto back with the same ferventness, and knocking him over onto the bed. There, he deepened the kiss, exploring the blond's mouth with his tongue, savoring his taste. Naruto moaned softly, allowing Itachi to ravish his mouth until they both required oxygen.

_**LEMON WARNING**_

Panting, Itachi straddled the demon beneath him. He changed tactics and began to kiss Naruto along the left side of his jaw. The blond tilted his head to the side, giving Itachi more access and wanting more. Itachi complied, leaving a trail of kisses and hickeys upon his neck. Once Itachi reached the base of Naruto's neck, he stopped. Naruto was about to ask why, but Itachi bit into his skin, stopping him. Upon feeling the pain, Naruto cried out, digging his nails into Itachi's back. The man did not stop; only bit deeper, marking and claiming Naruto for himself. Soon, Itachi tasted the metallic taste of blood. He licked and sucked at the wound while Naruto writhed in pleasure, his breathing uneven and grinding his hips against Itachi's.

Groaning, Itachi could feel his hardening arousal against Naruto's. He wanted more direct contact, but their clothing was in the way. Naruto had the same idea and gently pushed Itachi off of him so he could strip off his shirt. Itachi followed, tossing his own behind him, not caring about where it landed. Naruto moved to undo the buttons of his pants, but Itachi stopped him, wanting to unclothe his lover for the first time himself. Carefully, he undid the buttons and zipper and removed them, throwing them aside, leaving the blond in his boxers. Naruto's hardened bulge was easily seen through the thin fabric of his underwear. As much as Itachi wanted to, he resisted the urge to rip the boxers off Naruto. Waiting a little longer would just make it better anyway.

Naruto could clearly see the lust in Itachi's eyes as he stared at his nearly-nude body. Their gaze met and Naruto leaned forward, and initiated another kiss. He started off slowly, hands traveling over Itachi's chest. Once their kiss became deeper, Naruto moved his hand lower, fingering the waistband of Itachi's pants, signaling that he wanted them off. As an even clearer hint, Naruto slid his hand lower still and began stroking Itachi's hard arousal through his pants. Itachi tried to suppress a moan, but was unable to when Naruto began licking his neck, moving down to his chest to alternately lick and suck on one his nipples. Itachi gasped when the demon bit down, almost drawing blood. The blond licked the abused nub once more before trailing his tongue lower, down to the Uchiha's defined abs. Once there, he pulled Itachi's pants lower, licking his revealed hip bone before leaving a small hickey to mark the spot. While he did this, he managed to remove the pants and underwear completely, fully exposing Itachi's manhood.

The demon met Itachi's eyes briefly before licking tip of the hardened flesh. Itachi gripped the bed sheets as Naruto opened his mouth and began sucking at him, pleasure coursing through his whole body. He hadn't experience anything like it before and bit his lip to keep from making any sounds, but was unable to control his ragged breathing. As Naruto sucked and licked his arousal, his touches became lighter and faster, almost as though teasing his lover and making him want it even more. Still, the Uchiha could feel the pressure building inside and wanted it to be released.

Suddenly, Naruto stopped and sat up, sitting between Itachi's splayed legs. It was clear what the blond wanted to do now, but the Uchiha wasn't planning to submit to him so easily. Maybe some other time, but definitely not right now.

"Come here, Naruto-kun." Itachi said his deep voice lustful and inviting. Naruto nodded once before meeting his lips. Itachi tangled his fingers in the demon's spiked golden hair as their kiss became deeper, tongues wrestling for dominance. After a struggle, Naruto could feel Itachi winning. Not that he was complaining, of course.

Quickly, Itachi rolled over so he was back on top of Naruto. He ended the kiss, and pulled away, a string of saliva connecting them as they tried to regain their breaths. Naruto felt Itachi's hands glide down to his waist before his boxers were pulled off him, and thrown aside.

Moving lower, Itachi knelt on the bed and parted Naruto's legs, holding them open wide. The blond could feel something hard and wet rubbing against his inner thigh, knowing what would happen next. A flash of nervousness appeared on his facial features. He had never done anything like this before.

"I think it'll hurt, but I promise to go slowly." Itachi said softly, a blush forming on his face as he spoke. Judging by his expression and tone, Naruto guessed that Itachi hadn't done this either. For some reason, that thought reassured the blond.

"Do it, Itachi." he said.

Itachi nodded, positioning himself in front of Naruto's entrance. He pushed in slowly, feeling the tight heat encircle his arousal. Once he was fully inside, he stopped, allowing both him and Naruto to adjust to the feeling. Itachi forced himself to remain still while Naruto was silent, biting his lip against the pain.

Finally, Itachi began to move, slowly thrusting in and out of Naruto, relishing the pleasure that each movement brought. Naruto moaned quietly, the pain beginning to subside. The Uchiha increased his pace and started thrusting deeper into his lover, hitting his prostate. This earned him a loud moan from Naruto, who called out, panting, "Right... there... Itachi."

Only too pleased to comply, Itachi hit the sensitive spot over and over again. He could once again feel the pressure building inside of him as he listened to Naruto's loud moans of pleasure. Wanting the demon to share in his moment of ecstasy, he grabbed Naruto's erection and pumped it in time with his own thrusts. Together, the lovers climaxed, Itachi releasing his seed inside of Naruto, while Naruto's splattered out onto their chests. Panting, Itachi pulled out of Naruto, and lay down next to him, exhausted. He kissed the blond once more before sleep claimed them both.

**_END OF LEMON_**

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Sunlight streamed in through the open blinds, shining its light onto Itachi's face. To avoid it, he pulled the blankets over his head. A tug of resistance made the Uchiha's eyes widen in alarm. He uncovered his head and saw Naruto, whose blue eyes were fixed upon him.

"Are you awake, Itachi?"

For a moment, Itachi didn't know why Naruto was here, in his bed. He slowly sat up and blinked, remembering the previous night. "Yes." He answered before asking a question of his own, "Are you alright, Naruto-kun?"

The demon thought about it before replying, "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little sore... and sticky."

"Sticky?"

Naruto nodded,"Yeah, with dried sweat and some other stuff..."

"Oh." Itachi knew exactly what 'other stuff' referred to. He changed the subject. "What time is it?"

"About noon, I guess. When will the others be coming back?"

"If all goes well, then a day or two. If there's a problem, it could be longer." Itachi replied, but doubted there would be any major difficulties.

"I see... what do you want to do until they get back?" Naruto asked.

"Both of us need to bathe and get cleaned up." Itachi said, staring at the nude blond in his bed. He leaned toward Naruto and whispered in his ear suggestively, "But before we get clean, why don't we get a little dirtier first?"

The demon grinned at him, "You just read my mind."

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**_Two Days Later..._**

Naruto toweled off his wet, freshly-washed hair. He was feeling good, after both showering and indulging in yet another round of intimacy with Itachi. Overall, he was very satisfied. There was only one thing that was bugging him, something he wanted to know.

The blond pulled on a pair of clean boxers and pants. "Hey, Itachi. When you said that you wanted to talk to me privately, did you really want to talk or just screw around?"

Itachi replied truthfully, "Initially, I did want to talk to you, but the more I thought about it, the more I didn't feel like doing it. In the end, I just did what I wanted and felt like doing even though I wasn't entirely sure why I was doing it."

Naruto glanced at him, watching Itachi as he removed the old sheets from his bed to replace them with clean ones. The new linen was laid down precisely and Itachi even smoothed out any wrinkles in the fabric. All of his movements were thought out, full of reason and purpose.

"It was just instinct." Naruto finally said. Itachi glanced at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

The Kyuubi explained, "Humans are normally creatures of reason. They like thinking about things before they do them. Demons don't think. Most of us will just act, guided only by our instinct. You were acting on instinct when you decided to mate with me."

Itachi thought about the demon's words, realizing he was correct. _When I went into Pein's study for information about the bite, I was trying to be reasonable and ignore what I wanted from Naruto-kun. Later, after reading about the bite and what it meant, I just let that desire take over._"I suppose you're right, Naruto-kun. Were you acting on instinct when you first bit me?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course. I thought you would be a good mate and I was absolutely right." Naruto yanked a clean shirt over his head before continuing, "At first, I thought you wouldn't understand what the bite meant. It's kind of a weird thing to do, but that's just how demons are... By the way, how did you find out what it meant?"

"Research." Itachi replied.

The demon winked at him, "See? Humans and reason, together as usual. I'm glad you decided to pick instinct for a change. It's more fun, don't you think?"

"Given the recent events, I can't deny that." Itachi said, finishing his task of changing the bed sheets and making the bed. He tied back his damp hair into his usual style before putting on his Akatsuki cloak and glancing at the clock. It was five hours past noon. The others would be returning soon.

"Naruto-kun, you need to get back to your room. I'd rather not see you in any trouble because of me." Itachi told him, worried about how the rest of Akatsuki would react if they knew what happened between Naruto and him. Needless to say, it wouldn't be good and that's exactly why he had absolutely no intention of allowing them to find out. Besides, it's not like what happened really mattered anyway. The sex was just a one-time thing and probably wouldn't happen again. Technically, it happened seven times, including the time in the shower, but it was over now. Itachi's lust for Naruto had been sated... At least, Itachi wanted to believe that was true.

"OK. Let's go." Naruto said, leaving the bedroom with Itachi following him through the corridors back to his room. The two walked in a comfortable silence until they reached the metal door to Naruto's room. Itachi unlocked the door, opening it for Naruto, who hesitated before going in. "Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?"

"Not really. I was just wondering if I'm supposed to thank you for what happened." said Naruto, a contemplative expression on his face.

Itachi just blinked, not knowing what to say or how to react.

Naruto's eyes widened as an idea popped into his head. "Oh! I know what to say!" He turned to Itachi and placed his arms around his neck before kissing him deeply, tongue intertwining with the Uchiha's, savoring his taste. After a minute, Naruto pulled away with a smile, leaving a surprised Itachi craving more of the blond's touch. "Thanks for the good time, Itachi! I hope we can do it again real soon!" Naruto said cheerfully, closing the steel door behind him with a loud thud.

Roughly ten minutes passed before Itachi recovered from his surprise. He began to hear voices approach and doors opening, which brought him back to the situation at hand. Composing himself quickly, he dashed through the passage ways of the base to the front entrance to see the members of Akatsuki filing into the hideout, each heading off to their own room, looking exhausted. Kisame dragged Samehada behind him, tired.

"How was the Hachibi?" Itachi asked his partner.

The shark demon rolled his eyes before responding, "The villagers of Kumo gave us incomplete information. We managed to find the demon, but nobody mentioned it was a mountain-sized, ox-octopus creature that could summon lightning and trigger massive earthquakes. We were planning on fighting it, but the giant freak managed to escape by ripping a hole in the ground and burrowing away. All in all, the trip was a complete waste of time and I'm

going to bed." With that, Kisame left towards him room, passing by Pein who was headed in the opposite direction.

The leader of Akatsuki noticed Itachi standing there and approached him."Itachi, you're looking well. Did you finally do what you felt you needed to?"

"Yes." he replied truthfully.

Pein nodded, "Konan should be pleased to know that you are doing better. Don't forget to tell her."

"I won't."

"Excellent." he said. Before walking away, he added. "One more thing, Itachi. Take care of yourself. You need to be in top health for the benefit of all Akatsuki. Your presence was not required for the Hachibi sighting, but it's always a good idea to be ready at all times for anything. Whatever you did here was clearly what you needed, so I'm ordering you to keep doing whatever you did. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Leader-sama. Thank you."

Once Pein had left to his office, Itachi returned to his bedroom. He closed the door and lay on his bed, thinking about what Kisame had told him about the mission. He was glad that he didn't have to go through all that. It sounded frustrating. The way he had spent his time was much better and far less stressful.

After recalling his brief conversation with Pein, Itachi's thoughts switched to Naruto and the time that they spent together, whether it was having sex or just talking. He had enjoyed all of it and was pleased to know that he now had a valid reason to be with Naruto and continue their affair.

He now had orders to do so, and Itachi Uchiha _always_ followed orders.


	6. Blurring the Lines Between Lust and Love

Author's note: Hello. Um… yeah, I certainly took my time updating, didn't I? I'm so sorry! I was stricken with the affiction known as writer's block and would sit in front of my computer for hours at a time without writing anything significant. It was so frustrating, but I didn't give up because I knew that readers were counting on me to continue. I kept on trying and eventually ended up finishing this chapter.

Before you start reading, I need to say thanks to the lovely readers who added this story to alerts and favorites! Thank you! You rock! To my reviewers: You are the absolute best! Thank you for being so wonderful and awesome! You have my sincerest gratitude and mountains of cyber cookies and milk shall be sent your way!

Anyway, here's the chapter that took forever to write. As usual, please review and let me know what you thought about it!

Disclaimer: If I'm lucky, I will own Naruto in approximately ten thousand years.

**_WARNING:_** _This chapter contains yaoi, foul language, and implied sexual themes. Reader discretion is advised…_

6. Blurring the Lines between Lust and Love

It was surprisingly easy for Itachi to continue secretly seeing Naruto. None of the other Akatsuki members suspected anything because they had no reason to even think anything was out of the ordinary. Itachi was very careful to avoid acting any different around Naruto during the day. If anything, it seemed as though the Uchiha didn't have the slightest interest in the Kyuubi whose bright and cheerful personality was so radically different from his own perpetually stoic disposition. In fact, the two had limited interaction. They would only talk occasionally when around each other and during missions together. That appeared to be the extent of their relationship… However, appearances can be deceiving, especially under the cover of darkness.

At night, things were very different for Naruto and Itachi. They spent that time together in a far more intimate way than anyone could guess. Sex became their passionate nightly ritual, taking place in either Naruto or Itachi's room. Their activities went largely unnoticed due to the stone walls that blocked out the sound. Even so, Naruto would occasionally suggest a romp outside in the surrounding forest. Initially, Itachi didn't like the idea, but Naruto was able to persuade him to agree.

In the quiet forest, Naruto's pleasure-induced moans seemed louder. He was very vocal, calling Itachi's name over and over again. The Uchiha couldn't help but feel a bit proud that he was able to get that kind of reaction from his lover. When asked about it afterward, the demon was quick to reply that he enjoyed the sense of freedom that came with being outside and didn't feel the need to stifle his full appreciation of Itachi's talents. Pleased with this answer, Itachi himself had to admit that he felt less restricted outside, away from everybody else. From that night on, the forest floor became their occasional bed.

All things considered, things were going very well for Naruto and Itachi. They were able to keep their activities secret and very much alive. However, as time wore on, the nature of the relationship began to slowly shift from lust to something else, something deeper and more meaningful.

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Next to Itachi, Naruto panted, lying on his back as he basked in the afterglow of sex. He was getting sleepy, but knew that he needed to get up and get dressed so he could leave. It wouldn't look good if someone caught him in Itachi's bed... with Itachi. In addition, leaving was just part of a routine that he and Itachi had established; meet up around midnight, have sex, then say goodnight and leave for some much-needed rest in their own bed. The routine had been in place for nearly two weeks and working out well for the participants.

Stifling a yawn, Naruto attempted to get off the bed so he could gather his clothes which were currently scattered haphazardly around Itachi's room. As he swung his legs off the edge of the mattress, he heard Itachi, "You look tired, Naruto-kun. Why don't you spend the night here?"

Surprised, Naruto turned around, "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Naruto-kun, what did I just say?" Itachi asked him, his tone faintly revealing his amusement with the conversation.

"I know what you said. I was just..." Naruto hesitated, "not expecting your offer." He lay back down on the bed, facing Itachi. He smiled at the Uchiha. "But I will accept it, so... thanks."

Itachi nodded. "You're welcome. Sleep well, Naruto-kun."

Naruto turned over, his back to Itachi. Itachi did the same and rolled over before trying to fall asleep. He closed his eyes, but didn't feel tired. Instead, he felt restless, like there was something he needed to do. Something he wanted to do...

Ten minutes passed before he said anything. "Naruto-kun?" He called softly, unsure if the demon was still awake. It was likely that Naruto wasn't, but Itachi still wanted to check anyway.

The demon shifted under the blankets. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I was just wondering if you were awake." Itachi replied. He ignored his feeling of nervousness as he spoke again. "Naruto-kun, can you tell me a little about yourself?"

Naruto looked at him, curious. "What do you want to know?"

"Whatever you want to share."

The demon thought about it. A grin appeared on his face. "Sure. I'll tell you anything."

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In only two days, Itachi had learned a lot about Naruto. They would often briefly talk during the day, but they mostly spoke at night after their encounters. Naruto enjoyed their chats, offering numerous details of his background, regarding everything from his age to his family and what he had been doing before his capture.

Itachi learned that Naruto was eighteen years old and was an orphan. Naruto's parents had been killed when he was a few years old and had been raised by family friends who would alternately take care of him. One of his guardians was Jiraiya the Toad Sage, a well-known, immensely powerful demon that had been defeated a few years ago in battle. His other guardian was Tsunade, a mountain lion demon. She was regarded as being both astonishingly beautiful and dangerous. Although her looks didn't hint at her amazing physical strength, she could easily split the earth open with only one attack. According to Naruto, Tsunade was still alive, traveling through human villages and partaking in her favorite hobby; gambling. Naruto hadn't seen her in a few years, but knew she was just fine, wherever she was.

Until his capture by the Akatsuki, Naruto himself had been traveling. He was hunting for leads on who killed his mother and father. Admittedly, he had little to no idea where to go, but hoped that he would get lucky and find something useful. At first, there were no leads but after threatening an imp who knew about his parent's death, he did get some helpful information.

Apparently, the imp had wandering around the forest of the Land of Whirlpools looking for some humans to scare when he happened across a strange man wearing a mask. The imp had felt the man's aura of malice and quickly hid. While the imp was cowering under a bush, the little creature had seen that the man was covered in demon's blood and was limping away from a previous battle. In addition, the imp had heard the man muttering about incompetent snake demons and the viciousness of the Kyuubi species. After realizing that the man had demon fox blood on him, the imp had gotten terrified and quietly fled the scene, unnoticed.

Naruto had found out that information several months prior and had been searching for the masked man. To his frustration, he didn't find anything and his life was uneventful... until he first ran into Deidara and Sasori during their first failed attempt to capture him. Their second attempt occurred about two months later, which also ended badly for them. A short time later, Itachi and Kisame had been sent to catch Naruto, and we all know what happened then...

While listening, Itachi was thoroughly engrossed in learning about Naruto's life. He liked it because it gave him a better understanding of Naruto as an individual, but what he really enjoyed was the time spent with talkative Kyuubi. As a result, it became difficult for the Uchiha to deny a fondness for Naruto and a consequent need to spend as much time as he possibly could with him. This need manifested itself in during their nights together.

When Itachi and Naruto had originally begun their relationship, it was based on satisfying each other as quickly as possible. This was done to merely satiate their lust until next time. However, as time passed, Itachi changed tactics. He took his time with Naruto, relishing the feel of skin and the reactions that his touches caused the demon. No longer did Itachi just fuck Naruto. Instead, he made love to him, slowing down to savor the feeling of being inside Naruto's body and prolonging the experience to make it more meaningful, and ultimately more satisfying.

The change marked not only better sex, but also a growing sense of affection between the two lovers. Naruto was fully aware that he really liked Itachi; the Uchiha was very attractive, intelligent, a good listener, and an excellent mate. However, despite his own fondness, Itachi wanted to believe that Naruto didn't have any real feelings for him and vice versa. Why? For Itachi, it was easier to think that. He had never developed such a relationship before, but he knew that whenever anybody grows close to someone else - no matter what kind of relationship it is - there was a good possibility that things won't work out or something would abruptly end it, resulting in a lot of unnecessary pain. After losing his family as suddenly as he did, Itachi had known that pain all too well and made the decision that he didn't need or want to feel that agony ever again. That said, it is still a risk worth taking because only by allowing yourself to lower your guard will you find something that is truly worth running the risk of that pain...

It was now up to Itachi to decide what he really wanted.

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One morning, after several hickies and two hours of physical gratification, Itachi was tired. Closing his eyes, he lay next to a softly snoring Naruto, and was about to fall asleep when he heard something that sounded like a door being kicked.

"Wake up, dumb fuck! If I'm late because of your bullshit, I'm kicking your ass!" Hidan yelled from the hallway, pounding on the door to Kakuzu's room which was two doors down from Itachi's.

For a moment, Itachi didn't understand the need for Hidan's commotion and decided to ignore it... until he remembered that there was an Akatsuki meeting that was set to begin at exactly seven-thirty. Itachi's eyes widened in alarm when he saw the clock's current time: five minutes after seven. Forgetting about his fatigue, Itachi got up and raced to the bathroom connected to his room to take a quick shower before getting dressed. Once he finished bathing and had put on clean clothes, Itachi had only four minutes left before the meeting would start. As he tied back his wet hair, he glanced at Naruto, who was still sound asleep. Itachi smiled at the sight before he gently shook the demon.

"Naruto-kun." He called, earning an unintelligible response from his lover. Itachi continued, keeping his voice low and urgent. "Naruto-kun, I need you to get back to your room as soon as possible. Right now, I have a meeting. It should take an hour or so. Use that time to make yourself decent."

Naruto opened his eyes momentarily before closing them once again. "Alright..." He mumbled, turning over.

Itachi sighed and tried to be annoyed, but found that he couldn't be angry with Naruto. Instead, Itachi leaned over him, his damp hair tickling Naruto's face. "I need to leave now. I'll see you later, Naruto-kun." He said, and leaned down, kissing the demon.

With that, Itachi swiftly left the room and tried to ignore the fact that he was already beginning to miss Naruto.

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Kisame leaned against the stone table, waiting for the meeting to begin. He cast his gaze around and saw the chairs filling up with occupants, all except the one to his left; that one was usually occupied by Itachi. Kisame couldn't help but think that it was very strange of the Uchiha not to be on time. After all, Itachi was very punctual and never missed a meeting.

At precisely seven-twenty nine, Itachi entered the meeting room and took his usual place next to Kisame, who glanced at his partner and detected the scent of water from the Uchiha's hair. As a shark demon, Kisame's sense of smell wasn't as finely tuned as Naruto's, but water was something he could always identify. In addition, the presence of water also increased his sense of smell. Carefully, Kisame sniffed the air once again and caught another scent off Itachi; Naruto. The Kyuubi's scent appeared to be on Itachi's skin and hair.

At first, Kisame thought he was mistaken, but a nagging voice in his head was quick to remind him that a Kyuubi's scent wasn't something anybody mistook for anything else. That said, why was Naruto's scent on Itachi at all? To Kisame, it didn't make any sense, and when something didn't make sense to him, he would often ask Itachi about it.

Just as the shark demon was about to ask his partner what was going on, Pein entered the room. He stood in in front of the assembled Akatsuki. "It is now time for our meeting to commence." He said, sonorous voice echoing. "As you are aware, there have been various demon sightings lately, but one requires our immediate attention..."

Itachi didn't hear what Akatsuki's leader had to say. His thoughts had strayed away from the meeting and back to Naruto, something that happened more frequently than he liked to admit. Of course, he would never actually say that out loud...

A nudge to the ribs snapped Itachi out of his reverie. Itachi looked at his partner, wordlessly asking what he wanted. Kisame frowned at him, silently reproaching the Uchiha for the distant look in his dark eyes, an obvious sign that he wasn't listening. Itachi merely nodded in understanding, which Kisame thought was weird. Normally, Itachi would glare, or if he was in a particularly bad mood, flash the Sharingan threateningly when anybody interrupted his train of thought.

Itachi returned his focus back to his current situation, catching the end of Pein's speech.

"...This is why I think a powerful offense will be needed during this mission." Pein concluded, thoughtfully looking at each of his subordinates in turn until his striped gaze fell on Itachi. "Itachi, since you're in charge of the Kyuubi, I'd like a status report. How is the Kyuubi?"

"He's very good, Leader-sama. Very willing and much better than one would expect." Itachi replied promptly. Pein nodded in approval, assuming that Itachi was simply referring to Naruto's fighting style and ability. However, what Pein didn't know was that Itachi was actually talking about how Naruto was in bed, which is what he was currently thinking about. Fortunately for Itachi, it just so happened that his answer could apply to either question.

"And how would you rate his stamina?" Pein asked.

"He has a lot of energy and never disappoints." Again, the Uchiha's answer wasn't about fighting.

"I see..." Pein said, switching his gaze to Konan. "This is your mission. Do you mind having the Kyuubi accompany you and Sasori today?"

Konan shook her head. "Not at all. Naruto behaves well and he is good company."

Pein frowned slightly after hearing Konan refer to Naruto by name. He didn't like the idea of such familiarity, but didn't see the need to reprimand her for it. Besides, there was business to attend to right now. "Very well. I expect you to leave no later than noon today."

Konan nodded and looked at Sasori, who was seated next to her. "Is noon alright with you or would you prefer to leave earlier?"

"It doesn't really matter to me." Sasori replied, bored and sleepy. To him, it was too early in the morning to make plans and accept potentially dangerous missions such as this one.

"I guess it's settled then. Noon is fine." Konan said to Pein. The leader looked pleased. "Excellent. Now let's move on…"

Once again, Itachi had tuned out of the meeting. The only reason why he had even listened at all was because Naruto had been mentioned. Nothing else was able to keep his attention.

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_**Eight Hours Later…**_

A kunai flew by Itachi's face, nearly cutting him and lodging itself into a tree behind him. The Uchiha frowned and plucked the offending projectile from the innocent tree. He swiftly tossed it back in the direction from whence it came and earned an annoyed shout as the kunai was swatted out of the air with a scythe.

"Stupid prick! You nearly took my eye out with that!" Hidan said, advancing toward him angrily.

"So what? You shouldn't be throwing things at people who aren't expecting it." Itachi replied coolly.

"For your information, it was an accident! I threw it at Kisame but he dodged it." Hidan frowned at him disapprovingly. "Besides, it was just a kunai. Don't be such a little bitch, Itachi."

Itachi was annoyed with Hidan, but said nothing. Leaning on his scythe, Hidan continued. "What's your problem, anyway? All damn day you've had that same little frown. If you're going to be even more of a sulking bastard than usual, can you at least get the fuck out of here? I don't know why you even bothered coming out here at all."

"Hey! That's enough, Hidan!" Kisame growled at him, emerging from the trees that ringed the clearing of the training field.

Hidan rolled his eyes. "I'm just asking why he's being such a moody jerk today."

Kisame snorted. "Whatever. Just stop the bullshit and let's get on the match." He looked at Itachi, noticing that Hidan was right. Itachi did have a frown on his face. To Kisame, the Uchiha looked anxious, and had ever since Konan, Sasori, and Naruto left for their mission earlier today. It bothered the shark demon that his partner was acting so weird. In addition, Kisame still hadn't asked Itachi why Naruto's scent had been on him. Truth be told, he really didn't want to know and was in no hurry to find out. Besides, there was always a slim chance that he had been mistaken about the whole thing...

"Fine, then. Let's continue!" Hidan readily agreed, charging towards Kisame, swinging his scythe. Kisame blocked the attack with Samehada, and the two began their battle, their weapons clashing loudly with each strike.

From a distance, Itachi leaned against a tree, watching them and occasionally glancing over his shoulder to the path that led to the Akatsuki's base. He was waiting for Naruto to return, and that's the only reason why he was out here. Since the Kyuubi had left on his mission, Itachi had been missing and thinking about him. After acknowledging this earlier and a few hours of contemplation on the subject, Itachi came to the conclusion that Naruto truly did mean a lot to him. The realization actually shocked him a bit because Itachi had tried to rationalize that he only liked Naruto because of how willing and able he was in bed. From that, Itachi had wanted to believe that no real emotional attachment had existed, only carnal desire. He was sure about this theory until he remembered how he had felt when he first saw Naruto.

Itachi recalled Naruto's striking looks and bright eyes, but what really stuck out in his mind was the feeling that he had when he had first seen the Kyuubi. It had been so different from anything else he had felt upon meeting anyone; a unique combination of amazement, shocked surprise and the sense that the rest of the world ceasing to exist. That first sight had made such an impression on Itachi's mind that he wondered if had been love at first sight...

Well, maybe not love at first sight, but it had definitely been _something_ at first sight. Besides, love at first sight... That was such a ridiculous notion. Did things like that even happen? Itachi doubted it, but he did understand why anybody would believe in it. The idea was hopeful, and in a world full of darkness was something that offered a bright spot in the gloom... which was exactly what Naruto had become to Itachi. Naruto was bright and cheerful, offering a sharp and much-needed contrast to the darker life of being a demon hunter. So what if he was a demon himself? Naruto made him happy and the Uchiha hadn't felt anything like that in years.

_Naruto-kun is important to me,_ Itachi realized, the mid-afternoon sun overhead and Kisame and Hidan battling it out nearby. _I like him now, and I may even love him one day..._

A loud exclamation brought Itachi out of his thoughts and back into the present. "What in the name of fuck is that?" Hidan asked, stopping the match and pointing to the strange figure shuffling in the tall grass in front of them. Both Kisame and Itachi took a defensive stance, ready to attack.

"Calm down, it's just us!" Sasori said, appearing from underneath the beastly creature he was hauling above his head with Naruto and Konan. The three men rushed forward to help get the beast away from them and tossed it to the earth, examining it. The creature was clearly a demon; a bizarre, four-legged blend of horse, falcon, and snake. Its flesh was falling off as it decomposed, and the stench of rot filled the air. Hidan poked the dead demon with the end of his scythe. He grimaced. "Why are you guys bringing back road kill? This thing's been dead for at least a month or more."

"That's where you're wrong. It was alive less than three hours ago." Konan reported, a grave expression on her face. Gingerly, she rolled the beast over, revealing several crude stitches running all over its body. "This is not a natural demon. It was created from fusing different demons together and..." she trailed off, unable to continue.

Sasori finished for her. "It was brought back to life."

Hidan and Kisame exchanged looks of disgust and disbelief. "That's impossible!" Hidan protested. "You can't re-animate the dead."

Konan's serious expression left no room for doubt. "It is possible, but it's an evil technique." She pointed to the creature's eyes that had already rotted away. "This beast was created and killed several weeks ago, but brought back to life a day ago. That's why its body is decaying so much. Our mission was to kill it, once again."

"You guys were gone a long time. Why'd it take you so long to kill one demon?" Kisame asked, wary of the response he would get.

"It put up one hell of a fight." Naruto mumbled. Itachi glanced up from the corpse and at the blond. His dark eyes widened at what he saw. Jagged, bloodied claw marks had ripped Naruto's orange jacket, digging deeply enough to slice into his chest. There were slashes on his face too, blood still falling slowly down his cheeks.

"What happened, Naruto-kun? Are you alright?" Itachi asked him, not hiding the worry in his voice.

To his surprise, Naruto grinned. "It's okay. It looks worse than it actually is." He wiped some blood from a wound on his cheek, leaving a smear of crimson behind but no wound. "I've already healed and I'm fine."

"Yes, but what exactly happened?" Itachi pressed, relieved that Naruto was okay, but still wanting to know how he had gotten so injured.

"I saved Konan. She was about to get attacked by that weird demon, but I took the attack in her place. If it would have hit her, I'm sure it wouldn't have ended well."

Next to Naruto, the woman flashed a grateful smile at him before addressing the Akatsuki present. "Yeah, Naruto was a real hero." Her amber eyes fell back on the dead demon and her tone became business-like. "We need to show this to Pein-sama. Sasori, Hidan, and Kisame, I need you to pick this thing up and take it inside for further examination. Naruto, please go get cleaned up. That blood on your face will make you itch. Itachi, take Naruto to the nearby stream and help him. Does everyone understand their orders?"

"Yes, Konan." The men said in unison.

"Great. Now let's go. This corpse is going to keep rotting the longer we stand here." She said, walking off towards the Akatsuki's base. Sasori grabbed a portion of the demon before looking at Hidan and Kisame expectantly. "Aren't you going to help me?"

Hidan groaned, but did as he was told, picking up a leg. "This is so fucking nasty..." he muttered as he lifted the beast. Kisame said nothing, but was beginning to feel a touch of nausea as he helped his comrades move the corpse. The three men followed Konan's path and quickly caught up her as Naruto and Itachi left in a different direction.

Walking beside her comrades, Konan was glad to have such loyalty from them. She liked the sense of teamwork that Akatsuki had developed over the years of fighting and working together. She felt grateful to know them all, even Naruto, who was only supposed to be a temporary member. She couldn't help but feel that it would be nice if he remained in the organization permanently...

Konan stopped, realizing she had never properly thanked Naruto for helping her earlier. This surprised her. Normally, she was always quick to use correct manners, but with the strange mission, saying thank you had completely slipped her mind.

"Hidan." She called, getting the silver-haired man's attention.

Annoyed, Hidan looked at her, still carrying the unpleasant burden. "What do you want?"

"Where exactly is the stream at? Northwest or north of here?" She asked, wanting to find Naruto and not completely sure where to go.

Hidan shifted his grip on the corpse and gestured to the west. "Take the path all the way down. You can't miss it." He informed her before asking, "What are we supposed to do with this damn thing when we get back?"

"Take it to Kakuzu or Pein-sama. I'll be right back and handle everything else." She answered before leaving in the direction that he had indicated.

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Konan's footsteps were quick as she strode over the fallen leaves in her path. Her attentive eyes were alternately scanning the ground and directly in front of her to ensure she didn't run into any trouble as well as admiring the natural beauty of the area. After a few minutes, she heard the soft sound of water flowing and followed it to find the stream. Next to it was a patch of pink and blue flowers on the outskirts of a clearing ringed with thick shrubbery.

Curious about the pretty flowers' scent, she kneeled down to sample their fragrance, the surrounding bushes hiding her from view. Just as Konan drew close to the blooms, she heard the sound of laughter and was startled. Cautious, she pushed aside the bushes in front of her and gazed into the clearing.

To her relief, Konan saw Naruto and Itachi. For a second, she felt like calling out to them, but when she saw them together, decided against it. They looked like they were having an important conversation and didn't even notice her. Konan adjusted the cover of plants and watched them interact.

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"Are you sure you're alright?" Itachi asked solicitously as Naruto rinsed the blood from his face in the stream, the clear water developing a red tint as it flowed away.

Naruto lifted his head up to glance at him, noticing his lover's concern. He grinned reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm fine! You shouldn't worry so much about me."

"I didn't say I was worried." Itachi replied, trying to sound toneless.

The Kyuubi's eyes sparkled mischievously as he stood and advanced toward Itachi. "OK, when why do you keep staring at me so much?"

"No reason. I was just thinking about something."

Standing directly in front of Naruto, Itachi could see the curiosity on the blond's face. "Really? What were you thinking about?" Naruto asked.

"I was thinking about how glad I am that you're here with me, safe and sound." Itachi admitted, gently stroking a whisker-marked cheek.

Naruto laughed softly at the affectionate gesture, pleased and faintly embarrassed by the Uchiha's words. "Is that all you were thinking about?"

"No. I also realized that we never had a proper first kiss." Itachi said, wondering how Naruto would react.

Surprise was clearly evident on Naruto's face. "A first kiss? But haven't we already done that?"

While it was true that Naruto and Itachi had kissed many times, it was always done in a moment of frenzied passion. The Uchiha obviously didn't mind that kind of kiss, but wanted to try something a little different. Itachi shook his head. "No. I can't really say that we have."

"Huh? But I've kissed you plenty of times." Naruto said, not understanding his reasoning. "Besides, we've done a lot more than just kiss..." he suggestively added.

"I know that, but a first kiss usually doesn't include use of the tongue." Itachi explained to him, remembering their first kiss and everything that happened immediately afterward. "A first kiss is supposed to be different. More chaste, I suppose."

The bewildered look on the demon's face was still present. Upon seeing it, Itachi smiled. "Can I just show you what I'm talking about, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded once before Itachi leaned forward, nearly brushing his lips against his own. Their eyes met and Naruto could see his reflection in the dark eyes of his lover. At last, Itachi kissed him, gently and lovingly. Naruto's eyes closed in contentment, savoring the feeling of this wonderfully chaste kiss and hoping it would last a long time.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, Itachi pulled away, ending it. "That was a proper first kiss. What did you think about it?"

The demon didn't say anything, but his wildly beating heart and bright red cheeks spoke for him. Itachi found the sight to be as endearing as it was interesting. Endearing because Naruto looked adorable and interesting because he had never seen Naruto blush before. Sure, Itachi had seen him with a flushed face and panting multiple times, but not embarrassed like this. In addition, it was interesting that one simple kiss had produced this effect, even after all the not-so-innocent activities they had done together.

"Naruto-kun, are you feeling alright?" Itachi asked him after what felt like a long silence, even though it had only been a few minutes. Naruto merely nodded in reply, still in awe and wondering if he had just fallen in love.

"Are you ready to return to the base?"

Naruto blinked. "Um... I guess." Out of demonic habit, he sniffed the air, checking to see if anyone was nearby. Nothing, except a squirrel in the trees and a few birds. His eyes were drawn to a rustling bush fifteen feet away, but didn't smell anything else except the numerous plants that enclosed the clearing.

Itachi noticed his behavior. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nope. I was just checking my surroundings. It's a habit that I picked up a few years ago. We can leave now if you want." He smiled at Itachi before sheepishly adding. "You know, that kiss was nice... Do you think I can have a few more just like that?"

Itachi kissed Naruto on the cheek and put his arm around him, holding the demon close. "Sure. Whenever you want."

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Konan was shocked, her eyes as wide as saucers as she had watched Naruto and Itachi together. They were clearly very engrossed in one another and she used that opportunity to sneak away unnoticed. Fortunately for her, the wind was blowing her scent away from Naruto's direction. If it had been blowing the opposite direction, she would've have been caught for sure.

As she hurried through the forest and back to the base, Konan knew without a doubt that Itachi had developed romantic feelings for Naruto. She didn't think that any other Akatsuki members knew of their secret relationship except her. Was she supposed to tell them? She didn't know.

_What should I do?_ Konan asked herself._ If they are together, that's going to be problem. Naruto is the Kyuubi, and Itachi is a demon hunter. I don't think a relationship like that would ever work out... _Even as she thought that, Konan recalled how Itachi had looked at Naruto and how she had seen the genuine affection in Itachi's eyes. _But what if it does work out? If I say anything about it now, I would ruin their chances..._

_No, it's their secret, not mine. It is not my place to tell it, and so I won't. _Konan decided as she returned to the Akatsuki's base. She was determined not to say anything about what she had just witnessed.

However, what Konan failed to realize that there was one more person watching Naruto and Itachi. When Naruto had seen the bushes rustle, someone had been there, observing. The silent observer had camouflaged himself in the plants until he had decided to leave.

Who was this figure?

His name was Zetsu, and as Pein's personal scout, it was his duty to report what he had just seen.


	7. It's Not a Secret Anymore

Author's note: Hey, everybody! I'll keep this short and to the point so you can start reading. As always, I must thank everyone who has added this story to alerts and favorites. Yay! Thanks for rocking so much!

To my reviewers: You guys are so freakin' awesome! Thank you so very much! I love hearing your opinions on the story and can only hope you keep providing feedback on this story for as long as you possibly can.

Anyway, let me wrap this up by asking my very cool readers to read and review this chapter. Certain aspects of it were difficult to write and I really need you to let me know what you thought about it, okay?

Alright, let's roll!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I don't have any idea how to acquire it… Any suggestions?

**_WARNING:_** _This chapter contains cursing, suggestive dialogue, yaoi and cursing used as suggestive dialogue. Reader discretion is advised…_

7. It's Not a Secret Anymore

In his private study, Pein diligently worked. He was researching the demon that Konan, Naruto, and Sasori encountered and making notes about its possible origin. Pein was both completely disgusted and fascinated by the creature. He wanted to know how such a life form had come into existence, how it lived, and what kind of sick bastard would even want to create such a repulsive beast.

While reading a book about the theory of re-animating corpses, Pein heard a knock at the door. "Enter." He called, not taking his eyes off the words on the page in front of him.

Kakuzu stepped into the room, his red and green eyes drawn to the book in his leader's hand. "Reanimation is such an interesting topic, wouldn't you agree, Leader-sama?"

"It's hideously interesting." Pein agreed. He put the book down and gave his full attention to Kakuzu. "Did you complete the autopsy?"

The hooded man nodded. "Yes."

"And what did you find?"

"On the skin that wasn't rotting, I found a strange black pattern that started at the base of the neck, fanning out toward the shoulders and legs." Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. "You realize what that means, don't you?"

Pein nodded. "Orochimaru's infamous curse mark."

"Of course. Who else would even attempt creating such a putrid life form?" Kakuzu asked. He hesitated a moment before adding, "Leader-sama, forgive me if this sounds uncharacteristic of me, but what Orochimaru created shows a lot of genius. I know that he's an evil, corrupted demon but I can't help but think such a feat is impressive... from a purely scientific standpoint, that is."

Pein leaned against the desk. "I understand what you're saying. Even I think it's a wonder. However, in no way do I condone such a thing. I'm sure you agree with me on that."

"I do, Leader-sama. I just needed to voice my opinion." Kakuzu reached into one of his sleeves and withdrew a folded sheet of paper. He passed it to Pein, who unfolded it and glanced at it curiously as his eyes skimmed across the words written on it. "Are these your findings, Kakuzu?"

"What I discovered so far, yes. I'd still like to run additional tests on the tissue samples taken."

"Go ahead and run whatever tests you deem neccesary. I'll catalogue this information now as well any future discoveries made. Be sure to inform me when new information becomes available."

Kakuzu bowed. "Yes, Leader-sama. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

"No. You're dismissed."

With that, Kakuzu left Pein to his research, closing the door on his way out. Shortly after Kakuzu departed, the door opened once again. Pein was taking notes and didn't look up from his work, just assuming Kakuzu had forgotten something. "What is it, Kakuzu?"

"Kakuzu? No, it's me."

Pein looked up momentarily to see a strange looking man whose skin was half black and half white. A venus flytrap-like extension enclosed his head and upper body, giving him a plant appearance. He wore the black cloak with red cloud patterns of the Akatsuki. "Ah, Zetsu. I was expecting you back sooner. What delayed you?"

Zetsu smiled faintly. "Let's just say that I found a particularly interesting piece of information."

"Is that so? What is it concerning?" Pein asked, returning back to his notes, his pen racing over the paper as he worked.

Zetsu frowned at the inattention from his leader, but spoke anyway, sure that he would get Pein's attention when he heard his news. "I have evidence to suspect Orochimaru in the latest demon attacks, especially the most recent one involving a possible re-animation..."

Pein wasn't impressed. "I already knew that. What else?"

The scout was miffed. "How did you know that?"

"I asked Kakuzu to examine the body. He found some clues that pointed to Orochimaru creating the demon." Even as he spoke, Pein still didn't look at him, indicating disinterest in the conversation.

Zetsu folded his arms, annoyed. "I see..."

"If you don't have anything else to add, you may leave. I'm quite busy at the moment." Pein said dismissively.

"I don't have any more news to report." Zetsu admitted. "But I would like to comment on something."

This got Pein's attention. Suspicious, he looked at Zetsu. "Comment on what?" It was very unlike Zetsu to ever comment on anything, and when he did, it was always to say something snide.

"Your leadership skills." Zetsu answered casually. Pein's eyes reflected his sudden irritation, but he remained silent as Zetsu continued. "How should I put this? ... I didn't think you allowed such _familiarity _between Akatsuki members."

"What are you talking about?"

"The reason why I was late." Zetsu smirked, seeing Pein's irked curiosity. _I guess I do have something to report after all..._ he thought, triumphantly. "I'm guessing it's something you didn't know about, huh?"

"For the last damn time, what are you talking about?" Pein snapped, impatient with his scout.

"Since you seem so anxious to know, I'll tell you." Zetsu began, pleased that he finally got Pein's full attention. As a scout with news to share, Zetsu didn't like to be ignored. "On my way back, I took the forest road. I heard people talking and followed the sound to a clearing near a stream. There, I saw two of your subordinates together in a most inappropriate way."

"Who were they?"

"One was a dark-haired man. Uchiha, I think. The other was blond."

A disgusted look appeared on Pein's face as he thought about it. Itachi and Deidara? He shook his head to dispel the very unwelcome image. "Are you talking about Itachi and Deidara?"

"Deidara? Isn't he the blond with the ponytail teamed up with the red-head?" Zetsu asked. He didn't work with any of the other Akatsuki members and as a result, was quite unfamiliar with them and hadn't bothered to learn all their names.

"Yes. Deidara is partner to Sasori. Was it Deidara you saw?"

To Pein's surprise, Zetsu shook his head. "No. I didn't recognize this person. Judging by his behavior, I'd say he was a demon."

"A blond demon?" Pein asked aloud to himself before realization finally hit him. His striped eyes widened. Only one person fit that description: the Kyuubi. "Are you sure that the dark-haired man was Itachi Uchiha?"

"Yes. He's the one with the Sharingan, correct? Besides, he's the only Akatsuki member with long black hair." Zetsu confirmed, noting his leader's reaction about the news.

A strange look was present on Pein's normally expressionless face. He looked so shocked that it even worried Zetsu a little. The scout had wanted to say something that was surprising, but perhaps this was a little too much...

"What were they doing?" Pein finally asked, dreading the answer.

"Uchiha kissed the blond and expressed a lot of concern for him. From the way they were interacting, I'd say that they've been together in an - "

"That's quite enough." Pein said, cutting him off and knowing the next words out of Zetsu's mouth would be "intimate way." It was the last thing he needed to hear right now. Pein took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts and think about this rationally. Why would Itachi do such a thing? It made no sense whatsoever and wasn't the type of thing that the Uchiha would normally do... unless he hadn't done it. Maybe Zetsu had made the whole thing up.

Pein stared at Zetsu, speaking very carefully. "Zetsu, are you absolutely certain that what you saw really happened in the way you described it?"

Zetsu nodded. "Yes, Leader-sama. When have I ever reported false information?"

"Never." Pein sighed, resigned to the fact that it was true. His shock was soon replaced by an overwhelming sense of disappointment with Itachi... and with disappointment came anger. How could Itachi do something so stupid? After all the years of near perfect service as an Akatsuki member, why was he suddenly throwing it all away? And for who? A demon. But not just any demon, it had to be the Kyuubi, a tailed-beast who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone or destroy anything...

Zetsu watched as Pein silently fumed. He could feel the steadily rising anger of his boss and wondered idly if leaving would piss him off more.

"What are you staring at, Zetsu? If you have anything else to say, just spit it out!" Pein yelled at him, eyes bright with rage.

Zetsu flinched, taking a step back. "No, Leader-sama."

Pein stood up and left his desk before storming past Zetsu and out of the office. Zetsu followed, careful to stay at least five feet behind him. "Where are you going?" He asked, keeping his voice as respectful as possible.

Pein charged through the passageways of the base. "I'm going to hold an emergency meeting. Go get everyone except Itachi and tell them to meet me there in five minutes."

"But it's two hours after midnight... Won't they be asleep?"

Pein stopped, but didn't turn around. His voice was low, full of repressed anger. "Zetsu, do as I command or you will suffer for your disobedience. Do you understand me?"

"Yes. I'll go now." Zetsu said quickly, knowing Pein's threat was far more than just words. Pein rarely got mad about anything, but when he did, his hostility bordered on being considered psychotic. His temper was the reason why nearly everyone always listened to him and didn't purposely try to aggravate him. The only one who would talk back and argue was Hidan, but Pein had learned to deal with his attitude and was no longer affected by anything he said.

Without another word, Zetsu hurried away, not wishing to provoke the leader of Akatsuki's wrath.

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_**Five Minutes Later...**_

Tired and very irritable, Hidan complained loudly. "Who the fuck decided to call a meeting when everyone's trying to sleep? This is such bullshit!"

Next to him, Kakuzu glared. "Shut up, Hidan. It's too early for you to be so annoying."

"Too fucking bad, Kakuzu! I'm gonna say whatever I want because this is stupid. Even an asshole like you can see that!"

Kakuzu said nothing, but agreed with his partner. He didn't understand why Pein would request a meeting at this hour. Everyone was in a foul mood resulting from being woken up so suddenly and there was no way they would agree to go on a mission right now. Whatever Pein had to say was clearly very important... why else would he be addressing a group of cranky demon hunters?

For the first time, Kakuzu looked around at the assembled Akatsuki and noticed one empty chair. It was next to Kisame, which meant it was Itachi's. _How odd..._ Kakuzu thought. _If everyone else is here, why isn't Itachi?_

The door to the meeting room was slammed shut, drawing everyone's attention to Pein, who had just entered through it. He stood before the assembled hunters and spoke, "I have called you all here to discuss a serious matter that must be dealt with immediately. As you know, we -"

"Hold on a minute, Leader-sama." Kisame said, interrupting him. "If this is really important, shouldn't Itachi be here too?"

A flash of disappointment was briefly visible on Pein's face upon hearing Itachi's name. Konan noticed and felt a sudden sense of foreboding. The feeling intensified when Pein spoke again. "He cannot be here because this meeting  
>is regarding something that he did."<p>

Confusion replaced the fatigue on the Akatsuki members' faces. Pein sighed before continuing. He sounded tired, tinged with that same disappointment. "I need your complete honesty. Has anybody seen any instance of affection between Itachi and the Kyuubi?"

Disbelief-filled silence greeted the inquiry as everyone processed the implication of that question.

Anxious, Konan felt her heart race wildly. She feared that somebody might hear it and know that she was about to lie right to Pein's face. Keeping her expression completely neutral, she spoke. "Personally, I have seen no such thing. Pein-sama, why are you asking something like that?"

"I have received word that Itachi has begun some sort of affair with the Nine Tails." Pein answered solemnly.

"Wait a minute... Does that mean Itachi is fucking Naruto?" Hidan asked.

Pein frowned. "I wouldn't phrase it in that way, but yes. That is what has been reported."

There was a tense silence until a loud, derisive laugh was heard. "You are so full of shit!" Hidan said between laughs. Everyone stared at him. He noticed and explained. "Come on, guys! This is Itachi Uchiha we're talking about here! He's the most frigid bastard in the world. What makes you think he'd start fucking Naruto? This is just a bunch of bullshit."

Irritation was present in Pein's voice. "This is a serious matter, Hidan!"

"Serious matter my ass! You honestly believe that we're all stupid enough to believe this is true? Who told you this anyway?"

"Zetsu."

"Are you serious? That plant-based freak is just a damn weirdo with snide remarks on everything! He can't be trusted." Hidan said.

Nobody said anything as Pein and Hidan continued arguing. They were too stunned to comment. However, there were two members who weren't so stunned; Konan and Kisame. Konan already knew the truth but had no intention of saying anything, and Kisame remembered how he had detected Naruto's scent on the Uchiha. The more Kisame thought about it, this allegation against Itachi was becoming more and more valid. It explained a lot, such as why Itachi had even wanted to keep Naruto around, and it also explained that look on Itachi's face when he had carried the unconscious demon back to the base... Perhaps Itachi liked Naruto, and had since the beginning...

At last, Kisame spoke. "Leader-sama, if this is true, what'll happen to Itachi and Naruto?"

For just a moment, Pein looked surprised. He quickly thought about it before replying, "As Akatsuki, we are demon hunters. We do not care for our prey because they are just prey. They are supposed to serve no other purpose than to be killed. Itachi has broken that important rule. He will be punished severely and the Kyuubi will be destroyed."

"Can we just ask Itachi if this true or not?" Sasori asked.

"No." Pein replied. "If we were to ask, he would automatically deny it."

"Then what do we do?"

To everyone's surprise, Konan offered an answer. "I believe that we should wait for concrete proof of any relationship between Naruto and Itachi. If we just start saying things and making accusations without any supporting evidence, we're only making fools of ourselves... especially if Zetsu had misinterpreted what he saw."

Pein's striped eyes were fixed to Konan as she had spoken. It made her nervous. Could he tell that she knew more than she was saying? She didn't know for sure, but prayed that he didn't.

"Konan." Pein said. She flinched internally, but still kept her facial features completely unaffected. "I value your opinion on this matter. Because I do, I will order that your suggestion be carried out so sufficient evidence can be brought forward. If it appears that this is false, then no action against Itachi will be carried out. However," striped eyes narrowed threateningly. "If this is true, Itachi will suffer the appropriate consequences for his indiscretions."

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_**Two Days Later...**_

Itachi was annoyed. Very, very, _very_ annoyed. What was the source of his annoyance? Everyone, except Naruto.

Why was he so annoyed?

For the past two days, everyone has been looking at him strangely, like he had just sprouted a tail or second head. Not only was he getting weird looks, but everyone was also behaving bizarrely around him. Even worse, they were acting that way around Naruto.

Before, the rest of the Akatsuki treated Naruto fairly well. They were friendly and would talk to Naruto as if he wasn't the Kyuubi. It had made him feel welcome among the hunters. However, now Naruto was being ignored by them or given odd looks. Naruto had no idea why and wondered what he had done wrong. It was beginning to bother the blond and Itachi didn't like that one bit. Itachi would reassure Naruto that he had done nothing wrong, trying to make it seem as though this comrades' odd behavior was just a coincidence. However, Itachi also had his own private suspicions why...

They all knew about what was going on with Naruto and him. Why else would they be acting so weird? No other explanation made sense to Itachi. But what really didn't make sense was why nobody had directly confronted him about it. Were they afraid of how he would react or was it something else? Itachi didn't know, but what he did know for sure was how annoying the Akatsuki could be when they wanted to…

Maybe it was finally time to let them learn the truth...

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"Damn it, Kakuzu! Stop cheating!" Hidan yelled, throwing the shogi board off the table. The game pieces scattered and Kakuzu scowled before getting off his chair to retrieve them. "Hidan, it's not my fault that you can't play this game and lost ten times consecutively."

"It was not ten times!" Hidan protested.

Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "No, it wasn't ten losses. It was twelve."

"That's because you keep cheating! I would've won if you weren't such a cheating bastard."

Kakuzu picked up his shogi board and pieces before putting them away in a box, ignoring his partner. He put the box on a shelf and returned with a deck of playing cards. "Do you want to play?"

"With you? Hell no! You'll just cheat some more." Hidan replied.

"Let me see if I understand you..." Kakuzu pinched the bridge of his nose, developing a migraine. "First, you tell me you're bored. I offer to play shogi. Next, you're losing miserably and you get mad at me for your own incompetence. Now, I'm trying to be nice and offer another solution, and you still act like this. I think I'll just kill you instead. How does that sound to you, Hidan? Will that alleviate your boredom?"

Hidan thought about it. "No."

"Do you want to play cards?" Kakuzu asked again.

"Not with you." Hidan said, leaving the room and dodging the pack of cards that Kakuzu had thrown in the direction of his head. He was unfazed and wandered through the hallways looking for something to do. When he passed by Kisame's room, Hidan noticed the door was open and peeked inside.

"What do you want, Hidan?" Kisame asked, seated on the edge of his bed busily trying to remove a scratch from the hilt of Samehada.

"I'm bored." Hidan complained, entering the room uninvited. He plopped himself down on a chair. "Do you want to go outside and spar with me or something?"

"No. I'm busy." Kisame replied. "Go find someone else to bother."

"But there's no one else! Ever since that damn meeting about Itachi, everyone's been acting weird! No matter where I go, someone always has an attitude. It's really starting to piss me off! We should just ask Itachi what's going on. Then maybe things will go back to normal."

Kisame put Samehada down. "No. You know what Leader-sama said about that."

"Who gives a shit? Let's just get it over with!" Hidan insisted.

"I said no!" Kisame growled at him angrily.

Hidan wasn't bothered by the shark demon's opposition. "Kisame, this whole situation is fucking stupid. All we need to do is ask one question and that's it."

"No. Just get out of here, Hidan."

"Fine, then! You can stay here and be a little bitch for as long as you want, but I'm going to go find out what's really happening." With that, the silver-haired man left the room.

At first, Kisame was glad that Hidan was gone. His joy was short-lived as he realized what Hidan had been talking about and what he was going to do. Quickly, Kisame raced out of his room and caught sight of Hidan as he turned the corner. It looked like he was heading to Itachi's room.

"Damn it, Hidan! What do you think you're doing?" Kisame called, catching up to the other man as he reached the door to the Uchiha's bedroom.

Hidan stopped and grinned. "Why don't you find out?"

With Kisame following him, Hidan continued walking down the corridors. It took a few moments for Kisame to realize that they were headed to Naruto's room… but why?

Noticing the shark demon's quizzical look, Hidan explained. "Leader said that we couldn't ask Itachi what was going on. He never said that we couldn't ask Naruto."

Kisame was impressed with this logic, but it didn't sound like the type of thing Hidan would normally say. "I guess you're right about that, but just so you know, that's the type of reasoning that Kakuzu uses."

"I know that. Kakuzu may be a greedy bastard but one thing I can't deny is that he's a _smart_, greedy bastard. Some of the shit he says actually isn't so bad, especially when it benefits me."

By this time, they had reached the locked steel door to the Kyuubi's room. Hidan took a small key hanging from a hook on the wall and used it to unlock the door. Once he did that, Hidan kicked open the door, barging in. "Yo, Naruto." He called in his usual way. There was a brief pause before a shriek was heard. "What the fuck is going on in here?"

Upon hearing the exclamation, Kisame rushed in… and immediately wished he hadn't. On the small bed, Itachi was making out with Naruto. The Uchiha was on top of the shirtless demon, kissing him while running a hand across the bare skin in a teasing way before moving lower to bite and suck at his neck. Naruto moaned at the contact and tilted his head to the side to allow Itachi more access to the tender spot… and finally realized that he had an audience.

Blue eyes widened, reflecting shock blended with the unmistakable tint of fear. Itachi sensed Naruto's sudden mood shift and stopped his actions to see Kisame and Hidan staring, mouths agape in horrified embarrassment. For a moment, all four were silent as they waited for the reality of the situation to sink it.

Sitting up and still straddling Naruto, Itachi broke the silence. "What do you want? I'm currently in the middle of something right now."

Hidan and Kisame exchanged looks, not knowing what else to do. They couldn't quite believe the fact Itachi sounded so calm at being interrupted like this. He was not even remotely embarrassed or flustered; just calm and slightly annoyed.

"If you don't have anything to say, I'd like to get back to what was I was doing." Itachi said, serious and very sure about what he wanted.

Kisame wouldn't look at Itachi when he finally did say something. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the floor, looking at it as though it was the first of its kind and wasn't quite sure what he thought about it yet. "Itachi... this means the report we heard about you and Naruto is true, isn't it?"

"What do you think?" Itachi asked rhetorically before adding, "Now that you've seen this, I suppose it's not a secret anymore."

Kisame said nothing, but the tension could still be felt from his silence.

"Maybe we should go now before this gets any weirder..." Hidan mumbled. He dragged Kisame out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him. In the hallway, they were quiet, not sure what should be said or done next.

"Hidan."

The silver-haired man looked at his friend. "What?"

Kisame hesitated a moment before speaking. "Itachi... I think he wanted to get caught." Seeing the skeptical bewilderment in Hidan's eyes, the shark demon continued. "If Itachi really wanted to, he could've easily kept this hidden for a long time, but he didn't."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that Itachi decided to let us know what was going on without actually saying anything. I just don't know why he would decide to do something like that..."

"Oh. You really think so?"

Kisame nodded once, dejected. Hidan noticed the expression and decided to attempt lightening the mood. "Well, there's one bright spot in this situation."

"And what's that?"

"At least we walked in while they were still wearing their clothes..."

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_**Later That Night...**_

All Akatsuki members were present for another meeting, as they typically were. However, they definitely weren't discussing the usual business of the demon hunting organization.

"Itachi, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Pein asked, visibly angry. Earlier, he had seen the strange expressions on Kisame and Hidan's faces and inquired about them. That's when they had mentioned what they saw in Naruto's room. Needless to say, Pein was anything but happy.

"Well?" He prompted when Itachi didn't reply.

Once again, the Uchiha was quiet. Hidan took the opportunity to voice his theory about Itachi's reasons. "Maybe Itachi got brain-damaged by getting pounded into the headboard too many times."

"Excuse me?" Itachi asked, not believing anybody would actually say that in front of him.

Hidan nodded. "Yeah, I think it's possible." He paused, thinking it over. "But I guess it depends on which one of you is taking it up the ass... Itachi, do you fuck Naruto or does he fuck you?"

"Hidan!" Konan exclaimed, shocked by his brazenly vulgar question. "Do you really need to say it like that?"

Hidan rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll re-phrase it." He looked at Itachi and seriously asked, "Are you Naruto's bitch or is he your bitch?"

"Hidan, that's enough." Konan said. She fought the blush that wanted to appear on her cheeks after visualizing what Hidan had suggested about Itachi getting pounded into the headboard. For some reason, the image of Naruto being the dominant partner didn't seem quite right to her... unless Itachi and Naruto took turns occasionally. This last thought caused her blush to become visible and she pulled the collar of her cloak up to hide it while trying to banish any yaoi-related thoughts.

Pein noticed the woman's behavior, but assumed it was just because she was uncomfortable with Hidan's language. He glared at Hidan, "Hidan, remain silent for the rest of the meeting or you will suffer dire consequences. Am I clear?"

"Whatever. I was just trying to liven up the conversation..." Hidan muttered, slouching in his seat. To him, this whole meeting was pointless. So what if Itachi was fucking Naruto? Big deal... Life goes on, worse things have happened... and all that other shit people often say when something weird happens.

Pein shifted his gaze from Hidan, once again addressing the Uchiha. "Itachi, your sordid actions have not only disgraced yourself, but also what Akatsuki stands for as a whole. Our duty is to hunt demons. We kill them. We certainly do not engage in any vile, loathsome contact with such detestable creatures."

Itachi didn't react to anything Pein said. Stone-faced, he just listened as he was insulted and reprimanded in front of his teammates. "What you've done shows a lack of respect for yourself as well as an immense stupidity that I never believed you were capable of until now. How can you even face your own image in the mirror knowing what you've done? Does it not bother you that you've so willingly decided to sacrifice your morals for a wretched liaison with a demon that could decide to slaughter you on a moment's whim? Are you forgetting that your own family was killed by a demon not unlike the one you insist on courting?"

At this, Itachi finally got mad. "Comparing Naruto-kun to Orochimaru _and_ bringing up my deceased family… how very vicious of you, Leader-sama." He said, facing the orange-haired man directly. "Although he is a demon, Naruto-kun is not the monster you believe that he is. You only see him as the Kyuubi, but I know who he really is."

Pein snorted in contempt. "Don't be so damn blind, Itachi. Can't you see that your precious _Naruto-kun_ - as you call him - is just tricking you? Don't you see that he is deceiving you only to keep himself alive? As long as your depraved lust is being satisfied by the Kyuubi, he knows that you won't want to kill him." Itachi was offended by the suggestion and he let it show on his face. At this, Pein laughed coldly. "You actually believe that Kyuubi has genuine feelings for you, don't you?"

Itachi just glared at him. Pein smirked, "Your silence speaks volumes, Itachi. You really want to believe that Kyuubi likes you... how pathetic. Even if Kyuubi did like you now, it would never last. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"In one hundred years from now, you'll be dead and do you know what Kyuubi will be doing? He'll be charming some other fool and not give a rat's ass about you. In fact, I bet he will even kill you himself when you start to bore him."

"If you believe that, then you have a lot to learn about Naruto-kun." Itachi replied confidently, unshaken by his leader's icy words. "I know that Naruto-kun would never be so callous. His heart is too pure for that."

"Perhaps you're right, Itachi." Pein said, rolling his eyes in contempt. "However, it's more likely that you're wrong. We can sit here and debate this for hours, but I'm growing weary of this nonsense. Now, I believe that we should discuss your punishment."

"And what would you recommend, Leader-sama?" Itachi asked, knowing he was not going to like the answer.

"For your failure to comply with one of the essential rules of this organization, you will be punished. I think imprisonment and restriction of all freedoms will be an appropriate sentence and serve as a warning to anyone considering breaking any more rules."

"And?" Itachi prompted, aware that Pein had more to say.

"I also order you to personally execute the Kyuubi." Pein stated. "That will be your true punishment and the only way to remedy the situation."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then you will be permanently banished from Akatsuki and Kyuubi will be killed anyway." Pein said. "No matter what you decide to do, Kyuubi will be destroyed. It's a question of _when_ it'll happen, not _if_ it'll happen."

A tense silence filled the room as everyone waited for Itachi to reply. However, Konan could no longer keep quiet, "Pein-sama, you can't really expect Itachi to do something like this! He has served Akatsuki very well and I feel that you should reconsider what you're asking of him."

To her surprise, Kakuzu responded. "Leader-sama has every right to determine Itachi's fate. If he wants to punish Itachi, then Itachi should be punished."

"But Itachi didn't do anything bad!" Hidan protested after hearing Kakuzu. "All he did was fuck someone. How is that a crime? It's not like he killed or hurt anyone!"

"Rules are rules and should be followed accordingly." Kakuzu replied.

Hidan was about to start yelling at his partner, but just as he opened his mouth to start, Kisame cut him off. "Shut up, Hidan! I'm sick of hearing you and all of your damn arguing!"

"Excuse me, you shark-faced motherfucker? I didn't ask for your opinion!" Hidan screamed at Kisame before they started arguing, obscenities flying back and forth between them. Before long, Kakuzu got into it, calling them both idiots and earning a sharp rebuke from Konan, which only served to involve all four in the ensuing argument. Deidara and Sasori just watched, taken aback by how worked up everyone was getting over this whole situation.

"This is getting crazy..." Sasori whispered to the blond.

Deidara nodded. "It is, un."

"What are they even fighting about, anyway?"

"What Itachi did with Naruto. I think he should get punished, don't you, un?"

Sasori shook his head. "No. Hidan's right. Technically, Itachi didn't do anything bad." He narrowed his eyes at Deidara. "Besides, you and I both know that an affair with a co-worker isn't necessarily harmful to anyone."

Deidara gasped, "You wouldn't say anything about us, would you, un?"

"Of course not, but I suggest you keep your opinion on Itachi to yourself. If you say anything, you might as well be saying you're against our relationship too."

The explosives-master was silent. He didn't agree with Sasori's opinion about Itachi's situation with Naruto, but did understand why the red-head had made that last comment. Although he wouldn't admit it, Sasori empathized with Itachi and saw similarities in their respective relationships. With Deidara, Sasori understood the need for secrecy and the risk of getting into trouble. Obviously, Itachi had both concerns and the very important fact that Naruto was the Kyuubi. However, unlike Sasori's relationship, Itachi's was now public knowledge and appeared to be coming to an untimely end. Because of that, Sasori didn't want Deidara to make things worse for the Uchiha than they already were and wanted him to keep quiet.

Watching his subordinates fight amongst themselves, Pein sighed. "Itachi, do you realize that because of you, our organization is in turmoil now?"

"I never told them to react like this." Itachi growled at Pein. "I don't see why you're blaming me."

"No, I didn't expect you to understand... " Again, Pein sighed. "Do you at least have a solution to this squabbling?"

"Hn… you actually want my opinion? I'm shocked." Itachi said dryly.

Frowning, Pein glanced at Itachi briefly before watching Hidan and Konan argue against Kisame and Kakuzu. "Itachi, you've severely disappointed me with your actions regarding the Kyuubi. For that reason, I strongly think that you should be punished harshly, but it appears that everyone has different opinions on the subject and I don't believe a compromise can be made."

"Why don't we just vote on it?" Itachi suggested.

"A vote?"

"Yes. If more people decide that I should be punished, then I will accept that and kill Naruto-kun without hesitation." Itachi said, hoping that Pein would agree if he heard that. Itachi continued, "However, if more people decide that I shouldn't be punished, then Naruto-kun and I can stay together if we want to and you can't interfere at all anymore."

For the first time, Pein smiled slightly. "You're as clever as you are foolish, Itachi. This could easily backfire on you."

"I know." Itachi held out a hand, "Do we have a deal?"

Pein took the offered hand and shook it. "Yes. I agree to your terms on the condition that you will honor whatever decision is made, no matter what it may be. As a man of my word, I shall do the same."

Itachi nodded affirmatively, letting go of his leader's hand. "It's decided."

"So it is…" Pein said. He cleared his throat before calling for order in the room. "Listen!"

After hearing his command, the fighting stopped. Pein continued, speaking loudly and clearly. "It has been decided that we will vote on whether or not Itachi will be punished. A vote appears to be the only way that some sort of agreement can be reached. The vote will mark the final decision on this matter and shall take place tomorrow at midnight. There shall be no more arguing because this meeting is officially adjourned. I will see you all tomorrow. Until then, think carefully about your vote."

Shocked by the sudden end to the meeting, the Akatsuki members exchanged puzzled looks as they filed out if the meeting room. Itachi was about to leave when he heard Pein call him. "One more thing, Itachi."

The Uchiha stopped, listening. "Tonight, you may have the Kyuubi in your room."

Itachi turned around, suspicious. "Why, Leader-sama?"

Pein smirked arrogantly at him. "Just consider it a gesture of good faith from me to you. Besides," He began walking away from Itachi. "After tonight, you may never get the chance to touch him again while he's still living… Sure, you will touch him again, but I don't think the contact as you kill him will count..."

With that, Pein left, confident that he would get his way and the message all too clear to Itachi. Despite that, the Uchiha knew he couldn't give up or lose faith because he didn't want to lose Naruto, someone he cared so deeply about.

Even so, would faith be enough to conquer the odds so heavily stacked against Itachi and Naruto? Only time would tell…


	8. Trial by Akatsuki

Author's note: Hi! I know I was supposed to update sooner, but once again, life insists on keeping me away from by computer. I can't stand to make my wonderful readers wait so long for an update, so I'll try to update more frequently in the future.

Anyway, as always, I must thank every single reader who added this story to alerts and faves. Thank you! It really means a lot to me that you want to keep following the story! To my reviewers: Thanks for your support and opinions! I appreciate it more than you'll ever know... OK, I think that's enough from me. Here's the next chapter and please read and review so you can let me know what you think about it! As an extra incentive to review, all reviewers will be rewarded with cyber ice cream, cake, and cookies!

Disclaimer: I own the storyline of this fanfiction (at least, I hope I do) but I certainly do not own the Naruto series.

**_WARNING:_** _This chapter contains Hidan. He is the sole reason why I need to put a warning for this chapter. Once you read it in full and see some of the things he says, you'll see why I thought he should get his own warning_.

8. Trial by Akatsuki

Naruto was seated on Itachi's bed, listening to the Uchiha recount the day's events. He was paying especially close attention to the argument with Pein and the decision to have a vote. When Itachi spoke, Naruto noticed that he chose his words carefully, as if he were trying to make the situation seem a little more hopeful than it really was. Naruto wasn't fooled. He could still sense something was amiss.

"Itachi, why did Pein agree to this? If he was so angry, shouldn't he have just said no?" Naruto asked him.

"He simply agreed to my terms, just as I agreed to his." Itachi replied, not wanting to tell the Kyuubi what those terms were, especially since those terms involved a dead Naruto if Pein got his way. It was something that Itachi didn't want to think about, let alone say out loud.

Naruto was not satisfied with the vague answer. "And what did you agree to do if you lose the vote?"

The Uchiha was silent, having no intention to inform his lover of his possible fate. Naruto watched him, noting the solemnity of his expression. "It's something bad, isn't it?"

Again, more silence from Itachi. Naruto sighed, "That bad, huh?" Itachi glanced at him briefly before looking away.

"I take that as a yes. Since you won't tell me what's going on, it's probably about me..." Naruto said, scooting closer to Itachi. Naruto placed his hands over Itachi's, giving them a reassuring squeeze. Itachi met his eyes and noticed the demon's grin. "Itachi." Naruto began, "Don't worry so much about me. You don't need to protect me. If anything happens to me, I'll be fine. I'm the Kyuubi, the most feared demon around. I can take care of myself."

"I know that, but..." Itachi trailed off, seeing the resolve in Naruto's eyes.

"But nothing. Everything will be fine." Naruto assured Itachi, kissing him briefly. A soft smile appeared on Itachi's lips. Naruto's grin widened, "Besides, if anything does happen, I'll probably end up protecting you."

Playfully, Itachi rolled his eyes, "How are you going to protect me? Since we've been together, you haven't topped once..."

"Is that a challenge or an invitation?" Naruto asked, nuzzling Itachi affectionately before pushing him down onto the bed.

"It's whatever you want it to be, Naruto-kun." Itachi said, lightly taunting him. Accepting the challenge, Naruto kissed him again before undressing

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**_4:00 pm, the Following Day..._**

Still tired, Itachi yawned, browsing titles on the bookshelf. He really didn't feel like reading, but would probably get in trouble if he stayed in his room all day without making an appearance somewhere. Itachi was currently in the room everyone referred to as being the library, even though it was more like a recreational room. The room contained different ways to pass the time including books, a dartboard, and various other things for entertainment. Itachi was here looking for something to do as well as enjoying the solitude.

"Anyone in here?" Hidan called loudly, entering the room. He looked around and spotted Itachi. "You look like shit. Did you just wake up or something?"

Itachi sighed, _So much for the solitude,_ he thought. "What do you want, Hidan?"

"I'm bored."

"Read a book." Itachi said, resuming his task of looking for good reading material.

Hidan joined him at the shelf, looking at the books disdainfully. "I don't like reading. It's boring." He picked up a random book from the shelf before flipping through it and tossing it over his shoulder. He repeated his process six more times before he found something on the shelf he liked; a shogi board with a bag of game pieces next to it. Hidan snatched the game off the shelf and darted over to a nearby table to set it up.

Itachi glanced at him. "I thought you hated shogi."

"I do." Hidan confirmed, putting the pieces on the board. Once he was finished, he called out to Itachi once again, "Wanna play?"

"Not really."

Hidan frowned, "Come on! Just a quick match. It's not gonna kill you or anything."

Itachi sighed. "If I don't, you'll just keep nagging me, won't you?"

Hidan nodded, taking his seat. "Damn right."

Without any more protests, Itachi took the seat opposite Hidan, wincing slightly as he sat down. Hidan noticed, amused. "No wonder why you look weird... you just got fucked, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't _just_ get fucked." Itachi replied truthfully.

Hidan laughed, "Oh, I get it! Naruto fucked you last night, and you fucked Naruto this morning. That explains why you woke up so late."

Although Hidan's guess was correct, Itachi glared at him, not wanting to discuss his sex life. "Do we really need to talk about this?"

"No, but I still think this whole situation is hilarious."

This piqued Itachi's curiosity. "Why do you find it hilarious?"

Hidan leaned back in his chair. "Just think about it. Of all the Akatsuki, you were basically the golden child of the group. You never screwed anything up or pissed Leader off... until recently, when you decided to take Naruto and fuck his brains out." He explained. "What makes it funny is the fact that you were able to cause all this trouble without really trying and I've been working my ass off for years to see Leader this angry but I could never do it. I think I should be congratulating you on a job well done, Itachi."

"Your accolades don't exactly help me in my current situation, Hidan."

"I know, but I don't congratulate anyone very often, so think of it as a compliment."

"Hn... I'll try to contain my joy at your praise." Itachi remarked dryly.

Itachi was expecting the silver-haired man to get mad. Instead, Hidan laughed. "I can't believe you actually said something funny! I guess Naruto's influence is rubbing off on you after all. Who would have ever guessed?" For just second, Hidan hesitated before asking, "How did you even get with Naruto, anyway? Did you rape him one day and he liked it or what?"

Although Itachi stared at Hidan as though he was crazy, the Uchiha was not completely surprised by the bizarre question. Sure, it sounded really strange to hear - and it was - but that's simply how Hidan behaved. He never stopped to think before speaking. It didn't matter who he was talking to; Hidan always said exactly what he wanted to in whichever way he felt like it. "Why do you want to know?" Itachi asked him.

"It's just kinda weird how you suddenly decided to start screwing around with a demon. I guess it just proves that opposites attract..." Hidan replied distractedly, his thoughts straying to his own past experiences.

Itachi noticed the faraway look in the other man's eyes. "Is there something you want to share?"

"No." Hidan replied immediately, returning his attention to shogi game that had yet to begin. He drummed his fingers along the table, not really wanting to play. At last, he spoke, "Tell you what, Itachi. If you can answer my next question honestly, I'll tell you what I was thinking about. We'll be trading a secret for a secret. How does that sound?"

Itachi nodded. "Fine. Ask your question."

"Alright... is your relationship with Naruto really worth all this trouble?" At last, Hidan moved a piece on the shogi board, finally starting the game.

Itachi was taken aback by how serious Hidan was. The silver-haired man rarely asked questions of substance, preferring embarrassing ones or others laced with profanities. The Uchiha said nothing, thinking about his answer and moved a shogi piece forward.

Hidan continued both the game and the conversation. "I'm asking because you're not the type to just start randomly fucking anyone. If you did, you could be the biggest whore around. "

Like many others, Itachi didn't like to be called a potential whore. Annoyed, he glared at Hidan, wordlessly warning him to get to the point or else. Hidan continued, ''I said that because you're a really handsome guy. Most women just stare at you and I've even seen a few men gawking - "

"Are you hitting on me?" Itachi interrupted him, Sharingan activated in irritation.

"No. I don't swing that way." Hidan replied dismissively. "Anyway, I was going to say I know for a fact that you've  
>gotten offers from different people, yet you've said no to all of them. But when Naruto shows up, you literally jump on him. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but it makes me wonder what makes Naruto so special."<p>

Even though Itachi didn't want to admit it, Hidan had brought up a valid point. As a demon hunter, Itachi traveled through different villages and seen a variety of people. Occasionally, he encountered a more wanton woman who offered to personally (and privately) express her gratitude for defeating demons in the area. Needless to say, she wasn't talking about money or food. Although the woman was willing to offer herself to him, Itachi always declined. Why? He was simply not interested in doing something so meaningless with some random slut he didn't know. That said, Itachi really hadn't known Naruto that well at first...

When Itachi didn't reply, Hidan decided to goad an answer from him. "I bet Naruto is good in bed and does everything you want him to... Do you mind if I borrow him for a night or two and see for myself?"

"Hidan, if you even look at Naruto-kun the wrong way, I will personally see to it that you die a slow, painful death." Itachi threatened as his eyes flashed crimson. However, it wasn't just a threat; it was a promise.

"Wow... you got it bad for him." Hidan grinned knowingly. "What makes Naruto so special is the fact that you're in love with him, aren't you?"

"What gives you that idea?" Itachi asked, not denying or confirming it.

"You're not stupid or reckless enough to do something like this unless you believe that it _is_ worth all the trouble. By challenging Leader's ruling, you made a statement about your feelings, whether or not you realize it." Hidan said thoughtfully.

"I suppose I did, and I certainly don't regret the decisions I've made so far." Itachi agreed, realizing that he did love Naruto. For that reason, it had been effortless to argue with Pein and risk everything on a vote. There was no way to tell what would happen but just knowing there was at least a chance that everything could be fine was all the reason Itachi had needed to challenge the strongest man in the Akatsuki. "To me, Naruto-kun is worth dealing with Leader-sama's wrath. I would do anything for him, even if that means leaving the Akatsuki to keep him safe from harm."

This shocked Hidan. "Wait a minute... you're willing to break up the family?"

"The Akatsuki is not a family, Hidan." Itachi stated. He knew what a real family was, and this collection of demon hunters was certainly not it.

For the first time since their conversation began, Hidan became angry. "Maybe it's not a family to you, but it is for the rest of us! Everyone here had a fucked up family or no family at all. You're the only one who had a good family." He growled at the other man. "Do you know what I had? My dad left my mom when she was pregnant. She married some asshole after I was born. He used to hit her all the time. When I was thirteen, my step-father finally took it too far and broke her neck, killing her. At the time, I was outside harvesting the crops my mother had grown with a scythe. Once I saw what happened to my mother, I turned the scythe on him. By the end of the day, I was both an orphan and a killer."

This was the first time Itachi had ever heard Hidan's backstory. He had always guessed that it was gruesome, but now he knew for sure. However, there was still one more detail he needed to ask about. "The scythe you use now... Is it the same one from all those years ago?"

"Yeah, it is." Hidan grinned, a hint of pleased malice visible. "After getting rid of my step-father, I ran away from my village and never looked back. I got a job as a hired mercenary and used the money I earned to modify the scythe over the years, changing its appearance and making it stronger. I was a mercenary for seven years until I met Konan and she offered me a chance to be a demon hunter. I accepted her invitation and for the past five years, Akatsuki has been the only family I've ever known that isn't a completely fucked up mess. It's not perfect, but at least it's better than what I originally had. "

"I understand your feelings now, but I'll still do whatever I need to so I can keep Naruto-kun safe." Itachi said evenly, moving another shogi piece across the board. "In a way, I do look at Akatsuki as a family. However, wouldn't a real family be more accepting of my relationship with Naruto-kun?"

"Maybe, but real family or not, we are all a part of it and what each of us does affects everyone else. That's all there is to it." Hidan glared at the shogi board, fully aware that he was going to lose._ I hate this stupid game. Who's the jackass_ _who even invented it?_ He grumbled to himself as he smacked a wooden tile against the game board, moving  
>a piece to the left.<p>

Looking at the game in front of him and Hidan's irked expression, Itachi knew he could easily win the match in just a few moves. However, he didn't feel like ending the game, which would likely end the conversation as well. Besides, Hidan still owed him an explanation for his speculative look. Instead of beginning the end of the match, Itachi decided to stall for time by making a useless move. "Now that that you know how I feel about Naruto-kun, can I ask you to elaborate on what you were thinking about?"

"I had a feeling you wouldn't forget... Damn, I should really start thinking before I say something like that." Hidan sighed, but knew he had to answer. After all, a deal is a deal. "Shut up and listen, because I'm only going to say this  
>once..."<p>

Before he continued, Hidan looked around, making sure nobody else was around. Judging the area to be safe, he resumed speaking, "About four years ago, Leader got into a very bad argument with Konan. At the end, they had split up and -"

"Split up? What do you mean?"

Hidan rolled his purple eyes, "You know, I always thought that Sharingan of yours let you see just about everything. How can you ask what I mean by 'split up'? They were together, you idiot. Isn't it obvious?"

"Just get to the point." Itachi ordered him, ignoring the insult for the sake of hearing what Hidan had to say.

"Okay, fine... After their fight, Konan was really upset, and I found her crying outside in the forest. She was very depressed, so I attempted to lighten the mood with a joke. Instead of laughing, she just cried more. At that point, I had no idea what to do so I just stood there quietly freaking out and hoping she'd stop. She did eventually did, looked at me, and started laughing." Hidan smiled at the memory, remembering how pretty he thought she was at that moment.

After his brief reverie, Hidan resumed his story. Apparently, Konan had found Hidan's expression of having no idea what to do very funny and it had made her feel a little bit better. The two of them spent the remainder of the day together, talking and getting to know each other.

Hidan had found out that Konan had been friends with Pein since childhood. As she had grown up, she fell in love with Pein and helped him set up the Akatsuki, faithfully staying by his side. The two of them were often happy together, but their differing opinions about certain matters in the organization had caused tension and resulted in fights between them. They usually made up, but Konan didn't like the endless cycle of fights and reconciliation. That topic had triggered the fight that was to have supposed to have split them up for good. Konan had hoped that she would be able to move on with her life, but still remained in Akatsuki.

After talking with Hidan after the course of several weeks, Konan felt a fondness for the man. She had decided to make it clear to him and offered to spend the night with him. Hidan had accepted, and the two of them became romantically involved. Everything was fine for four months. Nobody except Pein knew what was going on, but he never once commented on it. To Hidan, it was proof that Akatsuki's leader was letting Konan go and they could remain together for a while. Truth be told, Hidan was looking forward to it...

"Yeah, but Konan didn't want that." Hidan said, annoyed. "She started to distance herself from me and I dumped her a few weeks later."

"Why did you do that?" Itachi asked.

A rueful smile appeared on the silver haired man's face. "Konan still loved Leader, and I always knew that she did." He sighed, "She didn't have the heart to dump me, so I dumped her. I told her that I was sorry, but it was for the best. Konan wasn't too sad, and thanked me for being there for her and we'd always be friends. A few days later, Leader and her were back together and have been ever since."

Itachi was stunned as he processed Hidan's narrative. He had always suspected that Pein and Konan were romantically involved, but assumed they were too professional for something like that. As for Konan and Hidan being together, that was unbelievable. They were very different in demeanor and every other way imaginable, yet they still became very close before breaking up. No wonder why Hidan had commented on opposites attracting...

"Hidan, do you miss Konan?"

Hidan blinked, surprised by Itachi's question. After thinking about it, he shrugged. "Sometimes. It just depends on what mood I'm in. I don't think about it that often, though. There's no point when we're just friends."

Itachi felt bad for Hidan, noticing the tinge of unhappiness in his voice. To him, it seemed as though Hidan still had feelings for Konan. That would certainly explain why Hidan rarely argued or protested her orders. He still swore around her, but never at her. It was clear that he respected Konan because of their history together.

After a silence, Hidan glared. "If you tell anyone about this, I swear I'll rip your guts out and strangle you with them."

The Uchiha nodded, unfazed by the violent threat. "You have my word that I won't say anything."

"Good. Killing you won't be easy, and I'm not completely sure I could do it." Hidan glanced at the shogi board, wanting to throw it off the table. "Do you want to finish this game or call it a day? Personally, I'm sick of it."

"Go ahead and put it away. I don't care."

"That's what I like to hear." Pleased, Hidan knocked off the game board, the pieces bouncing upon impact with the floor. He crouched down and picked them up, carelessly tossing them into the pouch they were stored in. "You know, I really hate this game. It's stupid."

Itachi got off the chair he was sitting on, watching him clean up. "If you hate it so much, why do you play it so often?"

Hidan rolled his eyes, "Isn't it obvious?"

"If it was obvious, I wouldn't have asked."

Hidan grabbed the board off the floor and plopped it on the table, the pouch of pieces joining it soon after. "When you play shogi, it's so boring that it forces you talk to your opponent because you got nothing better to do. Do you honestly think I'd be talking to you just because I wanted to?"

Itachi knew that the shogi game had just been the excuse Hidan was looking for to talk to him. Since he had suggested it, it showed that Hidan had wanted to talk, whether or not he would admit to it, and of course, he wouldn't admit to it. "No. A civil conversation would be expecting a little too much from you."

"Very funny, Uchiha. I should kick your ass for that remark, but I won't. Just be thankful I'm in a good mood today." Hidan replied, feigning anger. He turned away was just about to leave when he stopped, and grudgingly said, "Thanks for playing shogi with me. It wasn't as horrible as it could've been and you're not as much of a coldhearted bastard as I originally thought you were."

"You're welcome."

"Yeah, whatever..." With that, Hidan left.

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**_10:00 pm, Same Night._**

Itachi was outside, anxiously pacing back and forth. He had just two hours to wait before the vote would begin, but each minute seemed to pass by with an agonizing slowness. In a small sense, he appreciated the slowness because it was prolonging the wait regarding the decision that would affect the rest of his life. But in a far larger and more dominant sense, he couldn't stand waiting at all. Itachi just wanted to know what would happen, regardless of what it was.

A loud crash from the center of the forest stopped Itachi in his restless movements. He stopped pacing, hearing another impact and swearing from the site. Both curious and secretly glad for the distraction, Itachi followed the sound of cursing through the trees until he entered a clearing full of felled trees surrounding someone in the darkness.

To his surprise, Itachi recognized the person, "What are you doing, Kisame?"

Kisame looked at him briefly before ripping Samehada out of a tree trunk. "I'm just training, Itachi."

"I can see that." Itachi said, noting all the damage to the surrounding area. "Couldn't you find a better way to relieve your anger than attempting to clear-cut this side of the forest?"

"Who says I'm angry?" Kisame asked. Even as he did, Kisame swung his sword with enough force to break another tree in half. However, he didn't stop there. After focusing his chakra, he summoned an exploding water-shark and sent it careening into the freshly cut tree. The shark exploded on impact with the halved tree and sent each half flying into another side of the clearing, knocking down two more trees in the process.

"If that's not anger, then I don't know what is." Itachi commented, watching the destruction unfold. Kisame didn't reply, only continued his attacks on the greenery.

"Since it's unlikely that the trees said or did something that offended you, would you care to elaborate on why they have become the victims of your wrath?" Itachi questioned.

"They're just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Kisame replied tersely, tightly gripping Samehada.

"Maybe, but it's something more than that." Itachi said, approaching his partner. "I've known you for years and you won't do something like this unless something is really bothering you."

"You've only known me for three years or so, Itachi."

Itachi shook his head, "It's been longer than that; I've known you for exactly seven years, two months."

Kisame thought about it, realizing the Uchiha was right. Then again, Itachi was normally right about everything, until recently, that is...

"Itachi, why are you doing this?" Kisame finally asked him. "You and Naruto... what the hell are you thinking?"

Itachi replied coolly, "There's no reason for you to get worked up over this."

"Yes there is!" Kisame snapped. "You don't realize how much danger you're putting yourself in by getting involved with Naruto! How do you know that he won't try to kill you one day?"

"I trust him, Kisame."

"That's impossible. You can't trust a demon!"

"Then why do I trust you?" Itachi asked him. "Hybrid demon or not, I would still trust you implicitly."

"You can't trust a demon." Kisame repeated. "They don't see things the way humans do."

"How do you view what's going on?"

"It's a huge mistake."

"Why?"

"Because it just is! A demon doesn't understand emotions that humans have. Many of them think that humans are a novelty to be played with, and then disposed of." Kisame looked away, "Haven't I already given you an example of that?"

Itachi nodded, knowing what was being referenced; Kisame's own life. As you know, Kisame was born to a demon mother, and fathered by a human. Kisame's mother, Umi, had decided to take a human for a mate because she wanted a hybrid child. Umi already had a demon mate and their offspring, but found them to be boring and routine. After leaving her mate, Umi encountered a fisherman named Yama in the village of Kirigakure. She was able to charm Yama easily and soon became pregnant. At first, things had seemed fine. Kisame was born healthy and his parents were happy. However, when Kisame turned four, Umi grew tired of her hybrid son and human lover. They weren't interesting or fun in the way she had hoped. Umi soon left to return to her old mate and children, leaving Kisame to be raised by Yama.

Yama was a good father to his son and Kisame didn't mind his mother's absence. The two lived peacefully in Kirigakure until Umi returned several years later. She said that her old mate was angry with her for having another mate and it was up to her to 'rectify the situation', as he had put it. Before long, Umi turned on Yama, killing him. She contemplated killing her hybrid son, but decided against it because Kisame still shared her blood. As quick as she had arrived, Umi had left once again, this time for good. Yama's elderly mother decided to raise Kisame after her son's death, but never felt completely comfortable around the hybrid because of his demon lineage. Because of that and his own mother's callous disregard for him and his father, Kisame had grown up with a hatred of all demons.

"Kisame, you have good reason to be wary, but not all demons are like that." Itachi said. "Naruto-kun is not like that and you're not like that."

Kisame didn't say anything. Itachi continued, "You've said that it's impossible to trust a demon. I don't doubt that, but don't forget that humans cannot be trusted immediately either. No matter what, trust is something that can only be earned. In all of Akatsuki, I trust you the most. Do you know why?"

"No." Kisame admitted.

"It is because I see you as not only my comrade, but my friend. Throughout the years, you have shown yourself to be someone I can rely on in any circumstance. You have proven yourself worthy of my complete trust."

"That means a lot coming from you, Itachi." Kisame said after a moment of silence. "You mentioned how you've known me so long and were able to trust me because of that, but what about Naruto? How can you trust him so readily? He hasn't even been here a month."

"I don't know why, but I just do. There's something about him, I suppose..."

Kisame was confused. "I don't understand."

"That's fine. I don't understand it myself either." Itachi looked at him, speaking carefully. "Kisame, I need you to trust the decisions that I make, even if you don't necessarily agree with them. Do you think you can do that for me, not as a member of Akatsuki, but as the man who is my friend?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can." Kisame sighed, "When we have the vote later on, you'll know for sure."

The Uchiha nodded once before turning around and disappearing back into the darkened forest. Kisame didn't follow. He needed time to think.

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At exactly five minutes before midnight, Pein was already in the meeting room. He knew he was early, but didn't know what else to do but sit here and wait. The wooden door opened briefly and the sound of soft footsteps announced someone's presence.

"Pein-sama, are you okay?" Konan asked, noticing the man's forlorn expression. She took a seat next to him, covering his hands with her own.

"No, Konan. I'm not okay; I'm disappointed."

Konan lightly squeezed his hand, wordlessly prompting him to explain while her concerned gaze never left his face.

"Itachi was hardly more than a child when we first met. He grew up with the knowledge of death of loved ones and the harsh way of demon hunting taught to him. Perhaps that is why he became so distant and unreadable..." Pein mused aloud. "Regardless of his demeanor, and possibly because of it, he became strong and loyal. I could rely on him and know he wouldn't fail at anything he tried. It was so easy to become proud of him and automatically assume he was perfect, but now I know better."

"Please don't forget that Itachi is still that same person, no matter what his personal choices are. Why can't you regard him the same way as you did a week ago?"

"I want to, but you know that I cannot. The purpose of Akatsuki does not allow it."

"Would it really be so bad to change that purpose, Pein-sama?"

Pein sighed. "That's not my decision to make." A faint smile appeared on Pein's normally expressionless face. He removed his hands from under Konan's and placed them on her face, lightly stroking her skin. "Of everyone here, you've always been so faithful to me. To me, you are the only one who has never failed and cannot fail in any way. For that, I am eternally grateful, my dearest Konan. Thank you."

Konan smiled, "You don't need to thank me because your love is all I need."

The man's smile grew and he leaned forward, kissing her briefly on the lips. The door opened once again, and Kakuzu entered. He quirked an eyebrow at the scene in front of him, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Pein pulled away from Konan, his smile disappearing at seeing Kakuzu. Although Pein could not see it because of the mask Kakuzu always wore, it seemed as though the man was smirking. "Nothing is going on, Kakuzu."

"Alright." Kakuzu took his seat, not wanting to tease his leader and incite his wrath. "By the way, the others are coming."

As soon as he finished that statement, the other Akatsuki members entered the room, with the exception of Zetsu, who had once again left on a scouting mission. Itachi was the last one and his pace revealed how wary he was. Of course, that sentiment was shared by everyone. Nobody knew what the outcome of the vote would be and how that outcome would affect the whole organization.

Once everyone else was seated, Pein stood. "It is now midnight and the time has come to settle the matter of Itachi Uchiha's indiscretions with the Kyuubi. As you know, there are differing opinions on the matter and now is the time for these opinions to be known by all. Everyone will get to speak and vote." He paused, his eyes on Itachi. "Except for you. Since the purpose of this meeting is to have others decide your fate, it wouldn't make sense for you to vote. But you may say a few words now to defend yourself, Itachi."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, "Defend myself? I wasn't aware this was a trial in court."

"Of course it is. All votes can be considered trials. In a criminal trial, a person's innocence or guilt is determined by a jury. In a vote for leadership of a country, for example, two or more people are candidates. The citizens act as the jury who decide the candidates' fate. In the end, the method of determining a decision for both is based solely on the judgment of others." Pein smirked, "Tell me, are you going to defend yourself in front of a jury of your peers?"

Defiance and confidence were clearly visible in Itachi's dark eyes. "I don't need to defend myself because I have done nothing to warrant a criminal trail such as this."

"Fine, Itachi, but don't say you weren't given a fair chance." Pein said, unfazed by Itachi's sureness. He addressed the other hunters, "If you think Itachi should be punished, answer yes. If you believe he shouldn't be punished, answer no. Regardless of what you choose, be ready to give reasons for your decision. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Leader-sama." The Akatsuki said in unison.

"Excellent. I'll go first, and then we'll go in order by seating, from left to right, skipping Itachi." Pein glanced around, checking the order of the voters; after him, it would be Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara, Sasori, Konan, and Kisame. He took a deep breath before speaking, "My answer is undoubtedly yes. To me, this is something that needs to be punished. Itachi is being astonishingly stupid by so willingly falling for a demon's tricks. His weakness makes all of Akatsuki look bad and I cannot allow such defamation of this organization go unpunished."

Once Pein was finished, all eyes turned to Kakuzu. He nodded in understanding, "I vote yes. Personally, I feel that someone's private life is his or her own business. However, when that private life begins to mix with the goal of Akatsuki and prevents us from being able to carry out a mission, that's when it becomes everyone's business to put an end to it." Kakuzu turned his red and green eyes to Itachi, watching him carefully. "You're a valuable member of Akatsuki. No one can deny that. But if you have feelings for one of your targets, what makes you think it won't happen again? What if you begin to empathize with the demons you hunt? Emotions will make you an ineffective hunter. I strongly advise you to remember that."

"I know that, Kakuzu." Itachi said, "But since Naruto-kun has been here, have I ever declined a mission?"

"No, but it could happen." Kakuzu replied calmly, switching his gaze to Hidan. "It's your turn, idiot."

"I know that, and I am not an idiot!" Hidan growled at his partner. He scanned the room, noticing how everyone gave him their undivided attention. Because of that, Hidan knew he had to say something memorable.

"I think I've already said this, but this whole situation is stupid and I don't care how it ends. But I will say this..." He said, pausing for effect. "Most relationships are nothing but problems. Just because one person wants one thing, and the other wants something else, it'll end. It's stupid for someone to get so involved in that type of shit because of all the things that could go wrong. From my experience, relationships are way more trouble than they're worth." After he said this, Konan glanced at him, an unspoken apology in her eyes.

"Will you just get to the point, un?" Deidara interrupted him, growing impatient.

"Nobody asked for your opinion so shut the fuck up!" Hidan snapped at him before speaking directly to Itachi, "I really do think that this thing you have with Naruto will end badly, but you should at least enjoy it while it lasts. My advice to you would be to fuck Naruto as hard as you can for as long as you can. Eventually, he's going to get tired of you and will either kill you, or even worse, castrate you."

After hearing Hidan's advice, everyone gawked at him, not knowing what else to do in response to what he said. Even Itachi blinked, surprised and not quite believing what he just heard. "Am I supposed to thank you for that advice?"

Hidan shrugged, "I don't care. Do what you want."

Itachi mumbled a thank you to Hidan, causing Pein to get annoyed. "Hidan," Pein began through gritted teeth, "What was the point of your little monologue? Are you forgetting that this is a serious matter and you were supposed to vote?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The silver-haired man sighed, exasperated. "I vote that Itachi shouldn't be punished because it's unlikely that his relationship with Naruto will last that long. There's no point in cutting it even shorter."

Pein looked like he was going to argue with him, but decided against it. Hidan always went against what his leader had to say. Why would this matter be any different? "Deidara, it is now your turn."

"I say that Itachi should be punished." Deidara stated. After hearing him, Sasori glared at him but remained silent as the blond explained his reasons. "The Kyuubi is a demon, plain and simple. We hunt demons because they hurt humans. Nobody is supposed to be fooling around with one, especially one so dangerous to everyone here, un."

Pein nodded in approval at Deidara's words. "Very good, Deidara and Kakuzu. It's good to see that there are some very logical people in this room." Confident that he would get his way, Pein decided to be merciful to Itachi, "Itachi, if you want, we can just end the vote right now. It'll save you the humiliation of having everyone vote against you."

"It's not over until it's over." Itachi replied, irritated with the orange-haired man's smug tone.

Pein shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"Can I begin now, Leader-sama?" Sasori asked. Pein nodded once before Sasori spoke his peace. "This isn't the kind of situation I want to involve myself in, but it looks like I have no choice..." Sasori paused to glare disapprovingly at Deidara once again. "I say that Itachi shouldn't be punished. My reason is the fact that Naruto hasn't hurt anyone since he's been here. Before his capture, he seemed more wild and dangerous. I believe that Itachi had tamed him."

"What do you mean, 'hasn't hurt anyone'?" Deidara yelled at him. "Are you forgetting about my arm that was bitten off by the Kyuubi and that he almost put you in a coma after sending flying into the side of a mountain, un?"

"No, I didn't!" Sasori replied sharply, causing Deidara to flinch at how angry he sounded. "We're demon hunters. Health hazards and risking death is a part of our job!" With that, Sasori stopped, still furious with Deidara. The reason why the red-head was so mad was because he hadn't wanted to vote at all. He had told Deidara this last night, and the blond had also agreed that he wouldn't vote either, but he still did. Deidara had lied to Sasori by voting against Itachi. Even though he didn't want to, the only way for Sasori to get back at Deidara was to vote for Itachi. In addition, Sasori didn't see anything wrong with Itachi being with Naruto.

Pein and everyone else were shocked by Deidara and Sasori's exchange. Normally, they didn't see them fight at all... well, at least not over something that wasn't art-related. It was surprising to see them so angry with one another. Regardless of their tiff, the vote still needed to go on. With a slight smile on his face, Pein told Konan to begin whenever she wanted to.

After a minute to think, Konan began. "This vote is something that will affect us all. Because of that, the outcome shouldn't be what anyone one person wants; it should be based on doing the right thing." Nervous and fully aware of Pein's eyes on her, Konan took a deep breath to gather her resolve before continuing. "I firmly believe that Itachi should not be punished. It's not right to separate him from Naruto, and it's cruel to tell Itachi that he can't be with who he wants to be with. Who are we to interfere with his happiness?" She smiled warmly at the Uchiha. "You and Naruto have my blessing, Itachi."

Grateful for her unexpected support, Itachi smiled back, "Thank you, Konan."

"You're very welcome." she replied. In her heart, she knew had made the right decision.

A stunned silence descended upon the meeting room. Pein let his shock clearly show on his face as he stared at the woman. How could she so easily vote against him after all these years together? The idea was too inconceivable to even consider, but it had actually happened nonetheless. For the first time in his life, Pein had absolutely no idea what to say. Instead, he just sat there, gawking at Konan, who would not meet his eyes. He probably would have kept gawking for a long time, but Kisame's request to begin snapped Pein out of his stunned stupor. The leader of Akatsuki nodded once to give Kisame his permission to speak.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know what to say about all of this." Kisame said. "It seems wrong, though. But just because something seems wrong to me doesn't make it wrong to everyone." The shark demon sighed, and for the first time, realized that his decision would be the tie-breaker that would determine what would happen to Itachi. Perhaps that was the reason why everyone stared to intently at him, especially Itachi and Pein. For a long time, Kisame sat there, his gaze switching from his leader to his partner. Kisame carefully considered the repercussions of his choice and eventually decided what he needed to do. "Itachi, I don't trust Naruto. Maybe it's because he and I are demons... I don't know for sure. However, I still trust you and trust the decisions that you make." Kisame smiled faintly, "You have my both my approval and my vote, Itachi. I trust you to do what's right and that's the only reason I needed to say any of this."

"Thank you, Kisame." Itachi said, thankful beyond belief for the man's friendship. Kisame just nodded, "Don't worry about it. When the going gets rough, we got to stick together, and that's all there is to it."

"Is that your final decision, Kisame?" Pein asked, interrupting the moment between the friends. Kisame looked at him, "There's not a doubt in my mind."

"I see..." Pein said, knowing he had just lost the vote. He glanced around at the assembled hunters and decided to be gracious in defeat, if only to avoid looking completely foolish after behaving so arrogantly before. "Congratulations, Itachi. I'm glad this matter is finally settled and we can begin moving forward. This meeting is now over and I must be leaving now. Please excuse me." With that and no further explanation, Pein quickly left the room.

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_**Three Days Later...**_

In Pein's private study, a messy pile of books and scrolls was steadily growing larger as more and more books were thrown together after being deemed useless. Standing on a ladder and causing this untidiness was Pein himself. He was frantically searching for something, _anything_ that could help him break up Itachi and Naruto. Although Pein was fully aware that he had given Itachi his word that he wouldn't interfere in the course of the relationship, he still needed to break that promise. Truth be told, Pein felt grave misgivings about plotting against Itachi and Naruto but he ignored the feelings. After all, it was his duty to keep the Akatsuki running smoothly and having a demon around certainly wasn't the way to do it.

Wiping dust off the cover of a particularly old book, Pein sighed as he surveyed the growing disorder around him. It bothered him to see all this chaos in the normally immaculate room all for the sake of trying to drive a wedge between two people, especially when they seemed so..._ happy_ together. Even though he didn't want to, Pein had to grudgingly admit that every time he saw Itachi with Naruto, the Uchiha looked happier. It was a subtle, almost unnoticeable type of happiness, but it was still happiness nonetheless.

_What I'm doing is wrong._ Pein realized, absently flipping through yet another book about how many types of demons often had only one mate their entire life and remained faithful to that one mate for their whole life time. _Maybe this is impossible... _

Dropping the book, Pein raked a hand through his spiked hair in frustration. It was bad enough that he couldn't figure out anything to separate Itachi and Naruto, but he also had to clean up this mess of books and reorganize everything. His only consolation came from knowing that he could at least clean up without too much trouble. It wouldn't be fun, but it could be done.

Once he gathered his resolve, Pein began collecting the books off the floor and glanced at the titles to see where they belonged on the tall shelves. One by one, the pile became smaller as the shelves began filling with books. It was a tedious process when he reached the topmost shelves, especially because a single book escaped his grasp and fell to the floor once again. Naturally, it only served to add to Pein's overall annoyance with the situation because he had to climb down the ladder, retrieve it, climb back up and attempt to put the book back in its proper place.

Pein jumped off the ladder and landed lightly on the floor below. He knelt down the pick up the rogue book, but stopped, his striped eyes fixed on the open page. On the page was a drawing of a woman. Her crimson eyes, sharp claws and wolf ears and tail revealed her demonic identity. The female demon was covered in blood, and tears streaked down her cheeks as she held something in her hands, clutching it to her chest desperately. Two dead bodies were around her, a human man and woman. The dead woman's throat was torn out and lay a distance away. The man's chest was ripped open, leaving an empty hole where his heart should have been. Both had terrified expression on their faces, even after death.

After staring at the scene of carnage for several minutes, Pein finally realized that the crying demon was holding the man's heart, even though it was clear that she had slaughtered him. Quickly, Pein grabbed the book and flipped the page, reading a description about the drawing:_ Fidelity to a mate is a sacred belief to demons. Wolf demons are very faithful by nature. However, faithfulness is a trait that isn't always shared by humans. This female demon has found her human lover to be guilty of an infidelity. For his failure to remain true to her, the man pays the ultimate price. The other woman is also punished, her throat ripped away. This wolf loved her human deeply, but she was hurt by him. By holding his heart, she reveals both her sorrow about killing him and her love for him. _

Once he finished reading the caption, Pein flipped the page back to the drawing, studying it carefully. He could see the demon's immense sadness mixed with rage. To his surprise, Pein felt sorry for the wolf demon that killed her human lover and his mistress... Suddenly, an idea occurred to the leader of Akatsuki. He knew it was extremely unlikely that the Kyuubi would ever cheat on Itachi, but it was far more likely that, as a human, Itachi might cheat on Naruto.

A plan swiftly forming in his mind, Pein realized that he knew exactly how to break up Naruto and Itachi. All he needed was a little help.


	9. Deceptive Actions

Author's Note: Hello. Thank you for joining me for this story. I really appreciate it because I haven't updated it like I should (as my devoted readers have noticed). Well, that's going to change. The past few months have been very stressful for me lately and it seems as though things may finally be getting better. On that note, I will try and provide better timed updates.

Anyway, I need to send out huge shout-outs to my reviewers: skyglazingMaro, TigrezzTail, Suki-Chan, Wolf-Lover212, kage kitsune no yami, TigerDemonOwnz, kailan121, Kags21, znalarocks, and XXxxlovehurtsxxXX. YOU ARE ALL SO AMAZING! THANK YOU SO MUCH! It's because of you that I got out of my mental haze and really got my ass in gear.

As for all the lovely people who added this story to their faves and reviews, I have this to say: THANK YOU! YOU ROCK! I truly appreciate all my readers so very much and I'm so sorry I made you wait so long for an update.

Alright, before we get down to business, I want to let you know that this chapter has a cliff-hanger ending, but fear not, for I shall not make you wait months and months for a resolution because that would be terrible of me. Please look forward to an update sometime next week at the latest. In the mean time, please read and review. I would very much like to hear your opinions on the chapter. Now, we can begin...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but perhaps if I ask Masashi Kishimoto super-nicely, I will.

_**WARNING:** This chapter contains suggestive dialogue, blood, violence, soft yaoi, and scenes of a light sexual nature. Reader discretion is advised..._

9. Deceptive Actions

Seated on an armchair in the library, Konan brought her gaze up from the book she was reading and took a sip from her cup of tea. A flash of movement caught her eye and she smiled at the sight near her. Sitting on the small couch in the middle of the room, a sleepy Naruto was snuggled up against Itachi. An aura of happiness and contentment surrounded the pair, adding to the peaceful serenity of the room.

After a few moments of watching the couple, Konan returned her attention to her book, not expecting the loud shout that would break the tranquil mood.

"I found you!" Hidan exclaimed, kicking open the wooden door and pointing at  
>Naruto. The demon merely yawned and looked at Hidan briefly before laying his head on Itachi's shoulder once again.<p>

"What do you want, Hidan?" Naruto asked, closing his eyes.

"I'm bored." Hidan said, marching over to a leather chair near Naruto and Itachi. He plopped himself down and fixed his gaze on Naruto. "C'mon, Naruto. Get off your ass and spar with me."

"No, too tired." Naruto replied, eyes still closed.

"Why not? It's not like you're doing anything important." Hidan persisted.

"Hidan, if you're bored, go play with Kakuzu." Naruto suggested.

"Are you fucking serious? Why the hell would I do that?" Hidan asked, irked that Naruto was ignoring his request. He sighed loudly in exasperation, earning a glare from Itachi. Noticing the Uchiha's mild irritation, Hidan decided to make him even more mad, and to him, what better way was there than by asking very personal questions?

"So," Hidan began, a devious smirk forming on his face as he met Itachi's eyes, "Have you ever stuck more than your tongue down Naruto's throat?"

At this, Naruto's eyes popped open in shock and he stood up quickly, a faint blush on his cheeks. "What the hell, Hidan?" He screeched, embarrassed and ready to start cussing the silver-haired man out.

Itachi merely raised an eyebrow at his lover's reaction before smiling faintly at him. "It's okay, Naruto-kun. I can handle this." Naruto noticed the conspiratorial glint in Itachi's dark eyes and sat back down, wondering what he was planning.

Speaking in his typical monotone, Itachi answered Hidan. "I have a few times, but personally, I prefer to taste Naruto-kun than have him taste me."

Hearing this, Hidan blinked, not expecting this suggestive explanation. After a few seconds of shocked silence, Hidan asked, "Do you spit or swallow?"

Itachi smirked and leaned against Naruto, appearing to think about it. "Well," he said, smirk widening, "Whenever anybody loves the taste of something, they certainly don't want to waste even a drop of it. What makes you think this situation would be any different?"

For a moment, the room was quiet... until the sound of someone spluttering on her tea was heard. The men glanced at Konan, who was coughing as she attempted to drink her tea and not envision what Itachi had just implied. Judging by her red cheeks and how she had lowered her head in embarrassment, it was more than clear that Konan was failing miserably in her attempts to be perfectly stoic while she listened to the conversation.

Watching her, Hidan snickered. "Damn, Konan! I didn't know you liked yaoi!"

"What?" Konan squeaked, putting down her teacup and book in mock indignation. "I most certainly do not!" Even as she said that, she looked at Itachi briefly and turned slightly redder.

Naruto noticed and laughed too. He nudged Itachi playfully, "Did you hear that, Itachi? It looks like we have our own fan club."

"Hn. I guess so, Naruto-kun." Itachi agreed, amused with Konan's reaction and Naruto's obvious fun with the situation. He kissed Naruto on the cheek, "Due to this sudden popularity for us, I guess we'll have to be more openly affectionate to keep up with the demands of our fan."

Naruto grinned and kissed Itachi on the mouth in agreement. Itachi parted his lips and Naruto took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Watching them, a small smile appeared on Konan's face. It widened when she looked at Hidan and noticed he was staring intently at the wall. "Is there something wrong, Hidan?"

Hidan didn't remove this gaze from the wall. "No, but I don't want to see them make out. I accidently walked in on them once before and it took a while to get the image out of my head."

"If you don't want to see anything, close your eyes." Konan suggested. Hidan's brows knitted together in confusion.

"Just do it."

Hidan sighed in feigned annoyance and did as he was told. Konan chuckled and walked forward. She grabbed Hidan's sleeve and lead him out of the library, closing the door behind them to give Naruto and Itachi some privacy.

In the hallway, Konan released her grip on Hidan's sleeve. "You can open your eyes now."

Suspicious, Hidan cracked an eye open slowly, making sure Itachi and Naruto weren't around. Seeing nothing but the familiar empty hallways, Hidan sighed in relief. Konan raised a slim eyebrow, wordlessly asking why he was relieved. Hidan explained, "I don't mind Itachi and Naruto being together or whatever they have, but I don't want to watch them get it on. Know what I mean? It's their business, not mine." He shivered, "I could have lived without knowing how much Itachi likes Naruto's 'taste'."

"But why did you ask those kinds of questions to begin with?"

"I wanted to get Naruto off his ass so we could spar. I figured asking him shit like that would make him mad so he would want to." Hidan said, his response earning a disapproving frown from the woman. "Besides, I was just joking. I didn't want an actual answer." He added, trying to explain himself further.

"You know that Itachi doesn't like jokes. You really shouldn't have asked him such questions if you weren't prepared for a truthful response."

"I know, but damn, I didn't need to know that!" Hidan insisted.

Konan laughed softly. She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "Hidan, just be try to be more respectful of their relationship. I know you have fun teasing Naruto and Itachi, but you should let them enjoy their time together. "

"OK." Hidan grudgingly agreed, rolling his eyes as he was prone to doing when he listened to someone. However, it was a meaningless gesture. In truth, he didn't mind listening to his ex-girlfriend and Konan knew it.

"Good boy." Konan said, lightly patting him on the cheek before stepping away from him. "It's getting late and I'm going to sleep now. I expect you to do the same. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." Hidan replied. "Anything else?"

"No. Good night, Hidan." Konan said, smiling at him before turning away and heading towards Pein's bedroom. Hidan knew where she was going and felt the faintest trace of envy for the leader of the Akatsuki. Realizing this, Hidan squashed the feeling, as he had done for the last few years.

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Careful to avoid making noise, Deidara pushed open the door to bedroom and tip-toed towards the figure laying down on the bed. He removed his cloak and shirt before hovering over the figure's head. Deidara leaned in close, his warm breath ghosting over the figure's ear. "Sasori, do you want some company, un?"

To the blond's surprise, Sasori pulled the covers tightly over his head. "No."

Not discouraged, Deidara pulled at the blankets and tried to uncover the red-head. "Come on, Sasori. You know I don't like it when you play hard to get, un."

At last, Sasori uncovered his head and sat up. In the darkness of the room, Deidara failed to notice his glare. "Deidara, what the hell do you want? I'm trying to sleep."

"What do you think I want, un?" Deidara purred into Sasori's ear, sitting on his lap and running his fingers across his chest.

For a moment, Sasori considered his partner's words, deciding whether or not he would take Deidara up on his offer. He was about to say yes until he remembered an event that occurred not too long ago where Deidara had lied to him. Irritated, Sasori pushed the other man off of him, "I don't care what you want. Go away and let me sleep."

Surprised by the sudden shove, Deidara fell off the edge of the bed, landing roughly on the wooden floor. He stood quickly, feeling embarrassment and pain. "What's your problem, un?" He asked, using anger to hide his hurt over the rejection to his advances.

"_You're_my problem." Sasori replied.

"What did I do, un?"

"You know what you did, Deidara."

Deidara narrowed his eyes, "Don't tell me you're still mad about last week's vote about Itachi and the Kyuubi. I just voted against you. What's so bad about that, un?"

"You lied to me. You said you wouldn't vote at all but you still did." Sasori answered sharply. "But I suppose it's not the first time you've lied to me..."

Hearing this, Deidara looked away. "I told you I was sorry about that, un."

Sasori snorted in derision, "Yeah, right. Cheating on me with some village whore and denying it for weeks... you're only sorry because you got caught."

The blond gritted his teeth, remembering what Sasori was talking about. Less than a year earlier, Deidara had met an engaging young man after a demon hunting mission. The two of them became freindly and after a few meetings, ended up sleeping together several times on separate occasions. The problem was, Deidara was already with Sasori. once Sasori found out what happened, he was furious and broke up with Diedara soon after. Deidara regretted his affair and tried to patch things up and after months of apologizing, ended up back in both Sasori's good graces and his bed. There was, however, one very important condition; Deidara could not lie to Sasori, no matter how small a lie it was. Since Deidara had lied about what he would do regarding the vote about Itachi, Sasori felt he had the right to be upset. After all, he was lied to, once again.

Deidara remained silent. In his heart, he knew Sasori was justified in his anger. After all, he had broken a promise to him... again.

"Just leave, Deidara." Sasori finally said after a moment of silence.

"But..."

"I said go!" Sasori growled at him, getting off the bed. He grabbed Deidara's cloak and shirt off the floor and shoved it into the blond's hands before opening the bedroom door. "Out. Now."

Realizing Sasori was dead serious, Deidara did as he was told, passing by the red-head slowly as he left the room, pausing at the threshold. "Sasori, I'm -"

Sasori shook his head. "I don't want to hear your shit tonight."

"Moody bitch, un." Deidara mumbled, speaking with a low voice, but not low enough to prevent Sasori from hearing.

As Deidara left the room, Sasori had an idea of how to reply to the insult. "One more thing, Deidara."

The blond stopped, listening.

"Go fuck yourself. I'm sure as hell not doing it anymore." With those words, Sasori slammed the door on Deidara and locked the door.

Sighing and fully aware that Sasori was not going to forgive him so easily, Deidara put his shirt and cloak back on as he walked back to his room. In truth, he was more disappointed that he wasn't going to get the opportunity to fool around tonight. Because of Sasori's recent refusals, he hadn't had any kind of sex in almost two weeks. For someone used to getting it at least three times a week, it was frustrating to say the least.

Just as Deidara reached his own room, the sound of footsteps made him pause at the door.

"Deidara," a smooth, deep voice called him. "I need to see you in my chambers right now."

Deidara turned around. Standing there was none other than Pein, and he looked like he wanted something.

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Konan removed the blue rose clip from her hair, unwrapping the small bun. She smoothed out her hair, studying her reflection in the mirror, paying attention to her outfit, a pink low-cut silk gown with lace trim. Konan adjusted the thin straps, loosening them and making them rest on the top of her arms rather than her shoulders. With one last look at her appearance, Konan left the bathroom, hoping Pein was expecting her.

"Pein-sama," she called, entering his large bedroom. To her shock, instead of Pein, she found Deidara sitting on a chair near the bed. "What are you doing here?" She asked him, not quite believing that he was here.

"I'm not sure. Leader-sama called me here." Deidara raised an eyebrow at her appearance, his gaze lingering momentarily on her exposed cleavage. "So, that's what you've been hiding under your cloak... Not bad, un."

Konan gasped, remembering how she was dressed. Quickly, she covered her chest with her hands, glaring at Deidara for the comment. "Don't get any ideas, Deidara." she warned him.

"Relax." Deidara replied evenly. "You're not my type, un."

Uncomfortable, Konan shifted her gaze around the room, wondering where Pein was and what was going on. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long.

"You're looking lovely, Konan." Pein greeted her, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

Konan ignored the compliment. "Pein-sama, please tell me what's going on."

"Isn't it obvious?" Pein asked.

At this, Konan glanced worriedly at him, Deidara, and the bed. "No." she admitted, hoping that this evening wasn't about to get weirder than it already was.

Understanding the conclusion she reached, Pein chuckled softly. "I assure you, it's nothing like that." Switching his tone to something more business-like, Pein addressed the Akatsuki present. "Both of you have a very important mission."

"What kind of mission?" Konan asked, suspicious. Deidara raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Your mission is simple; seduce Itachi Uchiha." Pein said.

A stunned silence descended upon the room before Konan broke it. "You want us to do what? Why?" Her eyes were wide and clearly showing her confusion.

Pein offered an explanation. "Itachi cannot remain seeing Kyuubi as his lover. However, it's highly unlikely that Itachi will willingly give Kyuubi up, but perhaps Kyuubi will give Itachi up."

Deidara understood. "If one of us gets Itachi in bed, Naruto will end their relationship, won't he?"

Pein nodded. "Yes. Demons do not tolerate infidelity of any kind."

"Pein-sama, why are you asking us to do something like this?" Konan asked him, visibly upset. "You promised Itachi that you wouldn't interfere with his relationship with Naruto. Why are you doing this?"

Pein approached her, placing his hands on her shoulder and met her amber eyes with his striped ones. "Konan. Try to understand," he began, his voice smooth and confident. "I'm only trying to do what is best for the Akatsuki as a whole, but especially Itachi."

"How can this be what's best for Itachi? He loves Naruto." Konan countered.

"I don't think that a true sense of affection can exist between them." Pein replied flatly. Even as he said this statement, a niggling sense of doubt began to gnaw at him, as though he himself did not believe his own words. Despite this, Pein continued. "If the Kyuubi is satisfying Itachi's physical desires, then it is logical to assume that Itachi wants to keep him around for that reason. After all, if something is useful to someone, it will be kept around and even be well-liked. That is the case until the useful item is no longer considered to be neccesary, then it will be disposed of without a second thought."

"Why are talking about Naruto like he's a thing to be used?!" Konan snapped angrily at the man. "He still has thoughts and feelings like all sentient beings! So what if he's not human?"

"That's exactly right. The Kyuubi is not human, but Itachi is." Pein said calmly. "Konan, hasn't that simple fact ever once bothered you? Can you honestly say you have never had any doubts about them for that very reason?"

"I never..." Konan began, but stopped. Instead, she remembered her shock at discovering Itachi and Naruto's relationship in the forest. Hadn't she originally thought that it wouldn't work out because one was human and the other a demon? She had, but ultimately felt that they should still be given a chance.

"Yes, I did have my doubts." She admitted, lowering her gaze to the floor for a second. A faintly triumphant smirk appeared on Pein's face upon hearing the admission, but quickly disappeared when Konan met his eyes once more. He saw the confidence in her amber eyes and heard it in her voice. She clearly believed in what she was saying. "Those doubts didn't last long, Pein-sama. They were replaced by the fervent hope that everything would be fine and that Itachi may have found something wonderful with Naruto."

Pein didn't know what to say. Konan's resolute tone had stilled his tongue.

Deidara, however, didn't remain silent. "Konan, you're overlooking one important thing. That still doesn't make the Kyuubi any less dangerous, un."

"Excuse me?" Konan didn't appreciate how he had said that. His tone made it seem as though she was missing the most obvious thing in the world. "If Naruto had wanted to hurt anyone of us, wouldn't he have already done so by now? After all, it's not as though anyone of us could have stopped him."

Deidara glared at her for the implied insult towards his ability. "He's still dangerous, whether or not Itachi realizes it."

Finding his voice, Pein nodded in agreement, "Itachi may believe himself to be fond of the Kyuubi, but they are still natural opposites. One is a human, sworn to hunt demons that harm innocents, and the other is a demon, whose basic instinct is to kill. It's a dangerous mix."

"But none of that matters to them!" Konan protested, remembering the way Itachi and Naruto had interacted earlier that night. "They see each other for _who _they are, not _what _they are." She turned away, folding her arms across her chest, "Because of that, I won't assist you in ruining their bond."

Pein sighed softly in exasperation. Arguing with Konan was getting him nowhere. That much was clear. _Perhaps it's time to change tactics... _Pein realized.

Once again, Pein sighed, but louder and more dramatically, as though dealing with a great sadness. He lowered his head and his shoulders slumped, "My dear Konan, when have I ever wronged you or lead you astray?"

"Never!" Konan assured him, racing to his side and putting her arms around him to comfort him.

"Then why do you doubt me so, my love?"

Konan tightened her grip on him, "I don't doubt you, but..."

"But what? Do all our years together mean nothing?"

"They mean everything." Konan replied softly, remembering their first meeting all those years ago in an orphanage in Amegakure. When she was six years old, Konan's parents had been killed by a demon attack and with no living family members nearby, she had been sent to the crowded orphanage. Unable to accept her mother and father's deaths, she spent her first month there crying bitterly at night and becoming increasingly withdrawn. It is likely that she would have remained that way, but one day, she encountered a mature seven year old boy with shaggy orange hair. This boy had been at the orphanage for four years since losing his mother to illness. His father had died before he had been born, leaving no one to care for him. Despite having no family, the boy was still hopeful about his future and Konan saw that. She admired his strength and kindness towards others, and as time passed, she too began to feel that same hope and realized that as long she was by his side, everything would be okay. This boy was none other than Pein, and Konan had loved him ever since.

Thoughts returning to the present, Konan leaned against him, burying her face into his chest. "I love you, Pein-sama. You saved me from my sorrow and for that, I will always remain by your side."

Pein stroked her hair for a moment, trying to extinguish the immense sense of guilt he was now facing. He knew Konan's greatest weakness; her love for him and he was now exploiting it. It was a despicable, unforgivable act, but there didn't seem to be any other option. He needed something to be accomplished and it seemed like this was the only way to do it.

Pein gathered his resolve and asked once again, "Konan, will you accept this mission?"

Konan shook her head once. "No. I can't..."

Pein slid his hand under her chin, making their eyes meet. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes gently. "You're exquisitely beautiful, dearest Konan. I wouldn't be asking you to do this if I didn't believe you could do this."

The woman remained silent, but lowered her gaze to the carpeted floor. She stepped away from the orange-haired man, hugging herself and attempting to conceal her emotional turmoil over what her lover was asking her to do.

Pein knew that Konan needed time to process what he had said. He switched his attention to Deidara, who had been watching him intently. "Well, Deidara, would you like to know why you've been recruited for this particular mission?"

Deidara nodded once, but wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear what Pein had to say.

Pein spoke, folding his arms. "I've seen the way you look at me, Deidara."

Blue eyes widened nervously, "It's not like that, Leader-sama!" Deidara said, trying to deny it even though it was true. Yes, Deidara had checked out his leader a few times, but so what? Despite all his facial piercings and perpetual sense of distance, Pein was still an attractive man.

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, but it's quite obvious." Pein replied. "I've also seen how you look at the rest of the Akatsuki, but your gaze seems to linger far longer on Itachi. You want him, don't you?"

Deidara opened to his mouth to speak but Pein held up a hand, stopping him. "Don't deny it, Deidara. Your eyes have revealed all, just as they have revealed your irritation with the Kyuubi." Deidara narrowed his eyes, annoyed. A faint smirk appeared on Pein's face as he realized that he had struck the right nerve with the blond. Perfect.

"Your discontent with the Kyuubi is very understandable." Pein said, subtly egging the explosive master on. "I mean, it's astonishing to think that someone like that who is clearly so dangerous has made himself feel at home here, surrounded by potential foes. In fact, he is clearly so comfortable that he has even taken a lover amongst us. It makes me wonder if the Kyuubi believes himself to be completely invulnerable..."

"He's not. Everyone can be beaten." Deidara replied tersely. He grit his teeth, remembering his humiliation at Naruto's hands.

Pein shrugged, "Perhaps he can be defeated. Who's to say? But one thing I am certain of is the fact that _you can't _do it."

"What?!" Deidara cried, outraged at being dismissed so readily.

Smirk widening ever so slightly, Pein continued nonchalantly and seemingly unmindful of Deidara's indignation. "You are unable to defeat Kyuubi. This is true. However, that doesn't mean you can't drive Kyuubi away from here. If you do that, then you will have achieved a victory over the Kyuubi. "

Deidara clenched his fists on his lap, thinking his leader's words over carefully. He bit his bottom lip, chewing it thoughtfully. He knew that Pein was right about him never being able to defeat Naruto in battle, but maybe a small victory was still possible in a different way. In addition, if he did end up in bed with Itachi, that certainly wouldn't be a bad thing. If Itachi was able to satisfy a demon, then it was definitely something worth trying out…

While Deidara was lost in his thoughts, Pein watched his subordinates. He clearly saw Konan's feelings by her eyes. Pein saw her reluctance to do as she was ordered, but also her love for him, and the subsequent need to do as he requested. With Deidara, Pein saw plotting. It seemed Deidara didn't feel too bad about this mission, but until he actually said yes, it was difficult to know for sure what the blond would decide. However, it did seem that Deidara was close to making his decision.

However, it was Konan who spoke up first. She sniffled briefly and her eyes grew moist as she spoke. "Pein-sama, you said that this mission is for the best, right?" Pein nodded once before she continued. "I love you, and because of that, I trust you. Because of that, I will do as you ask…" Konan didn't continue. By now, tears streaked down her cheeks like delicate waterfalls. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, her sorrow about what she decided to do painfully clear.

Pein clutched at the cloak he wore, his own heart hurting. In truth, he couldn't stand putting the woman he loved through this, but what choice did he have? He knew that Naruto and Itachi's relationship needed to be ended now before something bad happened… and Pein knew without a doubt something could go very wrong, very fast. Pein was just trying to protect Itachi, but still, he hated himself for using Konan's love for him to make her go against her morals. It was wrong in so many ways and Pein knew it.

Not caring that Deidara was still in the room, Pein went to the crying woman's side. He wrapped his arms around her and spoke gently, "Thank you, Konan. Thank you for your love and your loyalty."

Konan wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She wriggled out of Pein's grasp and slowly backed away from him. She bowed slightly to him, a too-formal gesture she rarely used with him. "It's fine, Pein-sama. I'm simply doing what you asked of me. Now, please excuse me." With that, Konan quickly left the room, her sobs becoming less audible with every step away.

Pein lowered his gaze to the floor, trying to get the heartbreaking image of Konan out of his head. Near him, Deidara stood up. He cleared his throat and addressed Pein. "Leader-sama?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think she'll go through with it?"

Pein shook his head, "No. She may love me, but this is too much for her."

Deidara nodded, not sure if he should speak.

"Deidara, what have you decided?" Pein finally asked. He still sounded glum, but as always, his need to take care of business was still strong.

"I'll do it." Deidara paused before asking a question, "Do you really think this type of thing will work on Itachi, un?"

"I do not know if Itachi will fall for such a thing, but it is still worth trying."

"And if it doesn't work?"

Pein sighed, rubbing the now-tense muscles at the base of his neck, "It is immaterial if Itachi is seduced or not. What matters is if Itachi _appears_ to be have been unfaithful. If Kyuubi suspects or sees something that suggests an infidelity, he will end the relationship." _And probably go on a_ _killing spree somewhere... _Pein thought grimly, but didn't share this with the blond.

"I understand, Leader-sama."

Pein sighed and sat on the edge of his king-sized bed, "You may leave now. Tomorrow morning, you will receive your complete instructions for this mission. I will see you then. Goodnight. "

Without another word, Deidara left the room, closing the door behind him.

Alone, Pein sighed again. His cradled his head in his hands, guilt gnawing at him mercilessly.

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_**Three Days Later… **_

Naruto glanced at Itachi, his blue eyes slightly unhappy. "So…"

To his surprise, Itachi chuckled softly, "Naruto-kun, please don't look sad. You'll be back later on today."

"I know, but…"

Itachi kissed Naruto's forehead. A smile appeared on the demon's face.

"That's what I like to see." Itachi said, pleased. He handed several kunai to Naruto, who slipped them into the weapon pouch strapped to his leg. "Remember to be careful, Naruto-kun. I don't want you to get hurt on your mission."

Now it was Naruto's turn to laugh. "You sound so worried! Trust me, I'll be fine."

Itachi crossed his arms, trying to hide his smile. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah! Besides," Naruto glanced over his shoulder, "you should be more concerned about Kisame. It looks like Kakuzu and Hidan are driving him psycho." A distance away, near the border of the forest, Kisame rubbed his temples and muttered a flurry of swear words as Kakuzu and Hidan argued over which route would be the shortest for their mission. Judging by Kisame's scowl, it was obvious the partners weren't going to come to an agreement anytime soon.

Itachi sighed, "Naruto-kun, make sure you keep an eye on those two. I don't need Kisame to tear their heads off before the mission even begins."

"I will." Naruto assured him. He shifted a bit before speaking again, "Are you sure you can't come with us?"

The Uchiha shook his head, "I can't. Today, Leader-sama has some sort of training assignment for Konan, Deidara, and me."

"Can't Sasori fill in for you?"

Again, Itachi shook his head, "No. Sasori is on surveillance duty. Leader-sama says he has business to attend to, so it'll just be the three of us today."

"OK." Naruto kissed Itachi briefly before Kisame called him. "Hurry up, Naruto! It's getting late and these idiots are going to send me straight to the crazy house."

"Coming!" Naruto chimed back. He grinned at his lover before darting towards the other hunters. Itachi watched as Naruto skillfully broke up Hidan and Kakuzu's disagreement and couldn't help but feel proud as the young demon took charge of the situation and lead the way for the four of them. Sure, Hidan did protest Naruto's orders, but as usual, there was nothing he could do. When Naruto was determined, nothing stopped him.

Once the four hunters disappeared into the forest, Itachi returned to the Akatsuki's base. His thoughts lingered on Naruto and the odd mission he was sent on. Apparently, Pein had selected Naruto, Kakuzu, Kisame, and Hidan to investigate strange occurrences in Kusa village. Itachi didn't understand why the leader of Akatsuki had sent so many people for one mission. To him, it made no sense. Normally, missions that involved that many people were reserved only for large amounts of demons attacking a large area. A mere investigation shouldn't take more than two, maximum. Not only did that puzzle Itachi, he also didn't understand a "training session'' with Konan and Deidara. The three of them were rarely all teamed up together, so what was the point?

Although these things didn't make a whole lot of sense, Itachi didn't see the point of disobeying orders. _Well, Deidara isn't too bad and Konan is very agreeable._ Itachi thought, _I guess it'll turn out fine, and besides, what's the worst that could happen? _

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In the training field, a jet of flame made contact with a barrier of chakra-infused paper. The paper was scorched around the edges, but otherwise unharmed. Itachi frowned at the sight.

"Try again, Itachi." Konan said.

Itachi drew in a breath and exhaled another burst of flame. The fire burned brightly, slamming into the barrier. Konan focused her chakra to try and re-enforce it. Despite her best efforts, the blaze conquered the neat white sheets and reduced them to a pile of charred blackness. A smirk appeared on Itachi's face. "I win."

Konan nodded, "I suppose you did." She had expected Itachi to destroy the paper. It was just a warm-up anyway. "Are you ready for the real challenge?"

The dark-haired man replied smoothly. "I was born ready, Konan."

The woman wasn't surprised by his confidence. Of course Itachi was ready. He was always ready for the next challenge, whatever it was. He had been like that since he had first joined the Akatsuki. To Konan, it served as a reminder that even though Itachi had grown-up quite a bit in seven years' time, he was still the same person. Over the years, she had started to see Itachi as the younger brother she never had, and as such, she loved him and wanted to see him happy.

_Happy… _Konan thought, a swirl of paper shuriken spinning around her. She fanned out her chakra and sent the projectiles flying towards the Uchiha. In a blink, Itachi's dark eyes shifted colors, the irises turning a bright crimson. A kunai in each of his hands were his only weapons against the multitude of needle-sharp objects hurtling towards him. That's all he needed against the paper swarm. Konan watched as Itachi slashed and dodged her attack. His movements were fast, little more than a blur to the untrained eye. However, Konan could see a majority of his strikes. In the end, she wasn't even remotely surprised to see Itachi standing in a mound of shredded paper strips, completely unharmed.

Itachi put away his kunai. "How was that?"

The woman smiled, approaching her friend. "That was excellent. You're very skilled. I think you deserve a bit of a reward."

Itachi frowned. He detected a slight lilt in Konan's voice. It sounded… _weird,_ somehow. That and her smile. It was different from the normally genuinely warm ones she flashed his way. This one seemed… _weird_ too. Itachi could find no other way to describe it.

Konan stepped up to the man, tilting her head to the side. She smiled again in that same odd way before lightly running her fingers across the buttons to her cloak. They released with a soft _pop_, revealing the skin beneath. Itachi looked away quickly, realizing that the woman was topless beneath her cloak.

"What's wrong, Itachi?" Konan whispered, winking at him and placing her hands over his, which were previously at his sides. She guided his hands over to her partially covered breasts, placing them on top. "Don't tell me a sexy man like you has never felt something like this before?" For good measure, Konan applied a bit more pressure to Itachi's hands, allowing him to feel the full soft tissue beneath. "What do you think?"

A silence filled the forest clearing as Konan awaited Itachi's response. At last, the Uchiha thought of a reply to her query. "Why are you acting like a whore, Konan?"

Konan's eyes widened and Itachi pulled away from her. Irritation filled his voice as he spoke, his voice hardly more than a growl, "What the hell is going on? What kind of person do you think I am? Why are you doing this? What's wrong with you?"

"I-" Konan began, but was interrupted by an indignant Itachi. "I want the truth, Konan. I've always respected you and I thought you respected me. Tell me the truth!" In his anger, his Sharingan glowed brighter than normal.

Emotionally fragile from his menacing gaze and the stress of Pein's orders, Konan confessed, her words flowing out like water. "Pein-sama asked me to. He wanted me to seduce you so you'd cheat on Naruto and then he would break up with you! I'm so sorry, Itachi! Please forgive me!" She quickly re-buttoned her cloak and tried to fight the tears that threatened to spill out.

Itachi glared at her, but his hostility was ebbing away. He knew she was being honest about everything she said. Still, his anger rose as he thought of Pein and his so-called orders. What kind of person would actually tell their girlfriend to do such a thing? It was disgusting. _The next time I see Pein, I'm kicking his ass, _Itachi thought, furious.

As thoughts of revenge filled the Uchiha's mind, Konan spoke again. "I never wanted to hurt you, Itachi. I was just following orders. I know how much you love Naruto. I can see it every time you look at him." After speaking the last sentence, a tear slid down her cheek. With every word, more tears fell, "It's horrible that Pein-sama wants you and Naruto apart. Every time I see you two together, I see how happy he makes you. Whenever he's nearby or even if you barely hear the sound of his voice, you light up so much. I've never seen you so happy. To me, it's really wonderful that you have found your true love."

"True love?" Itachi echoed, his ire taking a backseat to surprise. Was it possible that Naruto was in fact his true love?

She nodded and took a deep breath to calm down. "Yes. That's what I believe. How else can the situation be described? I know the current circumstances are not ideal for you two, but when love is real, it always finds a way, and your love _is_ real." As an afterthought, she added, "You are truly blessed to have found such a thing. Many people spend their whole lives searching for it, but they never find what they seek. You, however, were not looking for love; it simply appeared to you."

Touched by her words, Itachi was silent. In his heart, he felt Konan was right. He hugged her lightly, trying to comfort her and let her know that he wasn't upset with her.

Konan returned his embrace, "I'm truly sorry if I've offended you, Itachi. I don't know how I can make this right."

Itachi was silent and gently released her.

Still wracked with guilt about she had done, Konan wiped away a stray tear. "There's one more thing you should know."

"What?" He sounded wary.

"Be careful around Deidara. He was also recruited for this _'mission' _- Konan practically spat the word - "and although I don't know if he accepted it or not, it would still be wise to be on your guard around him."

Itachi nodded, "I will. Thank you for telling me."

"There's no need to thank me. I'm just trying to make this right somehow." She hesitated a moment before saying, "Please, Itachi, I know you're angry with Pein-sama but -"

"Don't defend him, Konan." Itachi interrupted her, his tone sharper than intended.

"It's hard not to. Defending those we love is second-nature to most sentient beings."

"I know."

There was a pause, and then Konan asked, "Will you ever forgive me?"

Itachi glanced at her. Her amber eyes were still glimmering faintly with tears and remorse. It bothered him to see his friend like that, so he smiled faintly, reassuring her. "Konan, although you are not my blood, you might as well be my sister. I refuse to hold a grudge against someone who I consider to be family. You are forgiven."

Konan bowed to him, "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

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In Kusa village, Naruto sniffed the air. A frown appeared on his face, "There's no one here anymore."

Hidan snorted, "That's impossible. A village of people doesn't just disappear into thin air, you know."

"Just look around," Naruto said, gesturing to the empty streets and silent houses. "I'm telling you, nobody's here."

"Let's see..." Kisame said, approaching one of the wooden homes. He knocked on the door softly. When there was no reply, he hit the door harder, pounding his fist against the painted surface, "Anyone in there?"

Hidan watched the shark demon as he tried on vain to get a response. After a minute, Hidan lost what little patience he had to begin with and decided to take matters into his own hands. He marched up to Kisame and pushed him out of the way.

Kisame growled at him, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting someone's attention." Hidan replied simply, taking a few steps back from the door. When he thought he had gone far enough, Hidan charged forward, slamming his shoulder into the door. The impact snapped the door right off its hinges and it fell into the home. As though he had done nothing wrong, Hidan stepped over the door and strode into the house.

Nearby, Kakuzu groaned, "That idiot never learns."

After only a few seconds, Hidan reappeared at the entrance. He glanced at his teammates as he gave his report, "It's empty."

"Well, it's just one house," Kisame said. "Maybe if we tried another -"

Before Kisame could complete his sentence, Hidan flew off the porch and went charging across the street to another home. Once again, he forcibly entered another residence, this time with a jump kick that broke the lock and sent the door crashing into the wall. Hidan barged in and after a quick cursory search, returned to the threshold. "No one's here either."

"Who would have ever guessed?" Kakuzu asked dryly, narrowing his eyes, "If anyone had been here, I assume that they wouldn't have been too happy about you breaking and entering their property like that."

"Shut up, Kakuzu!" Hidan shouted, annoyed. "I don't see you doing anything to help!"

Kakuzu wanted to reply with a sarcastic retort, but Kisame stopped him. "You two, shut up or else." He shifted Samehada from his left shoulder to his right. "Now, what are we supposed to do if all the villagers are gone?"

"We could have a look around. Maybe we'll find a clue or something that can shed some light on what's going on." Naruto suggested, gazing at the leafless trees that were peppered throughout the village. He couldn't help but notice that not a bird, squirrel, or any other type of animal was anywhere to be seen or heard from. It was troubling to say the least and only added to the unnatural stillness that permeated the air.

"Fine," Kakuzu agreed. "Let's split up. We'll cover more ground that way. If anyone of you finds anything, let someone else know as soon as possible. Understand?"

Kisame, Naruto, and Hidan nodded affirmatively, ready to begin and wary about what could possibly be waiting for them.

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Ten minutes later, Naruto wandered the western quarter of Kusa village. He was in his fox form and carefully sniffing the ground, looking for any traces of the villagers. So far, his only clue had been what appeared to be the trail of a snake demon that had slithered across the dirt. Naruto found this disturbing for several reasons, but the biggest and most immediate was the sheer size of the trail. It obviously had been made by a large snake... a _very_ large snake. And judging by the way the humans had suddenly disappeared, it seemed all too possible that the villagers had been eaten.

The fur along Naruto's back rose slightly at the thought and his lips rippled faintly with the beginnings of a snarl. He found it disgusting how any demon could just waltz into a human settlement and decide to make the inhabitants a meal. Didn't they care at all?

Naruto already knew the answer to this question; they didn't care in the slightest. Why would they? After all, the humans didn't care about the demons either.

Although Naruto had known this fact for years, he always found it slightly depressing. He simply did not understand why there was such a sharp division between the two species. Sure, humans and demons were different in both values and appearance, but were those really valid reasons to always be trying to kill each other? Naruto didn't think so, but so many demons and humans would beg to differ.

_Well, not all humans... _Naruto said internally, his fur settling back down. His nine tails wagged in unison as he thought about one human in particular; Itachi, his wonderful mate. The more time Naruto spent with the Uchiha, the more he firmly believed that they would be life-long mates. The notion of being with Itachi for many years to come brightened his mood immensely and sharpened his focus on the task at hand - or in the Kyuubi's current form - the task at paw.

Resuming his search, Naruto trotted into what appeared to be an open-air market place. Dozens of wooden stalls of various shapes and sizes were neatly lined up along on both sides of a wide dirt road. The Kyuubi approached the nearest one, sniffing it carefully from top to bottom and was surprised. He could clearly smell the scent of humans, but what surprised him was what he didn't find... blood.

This made Naruto wonder if the villagers had really been eaten. If a demon had come and tried to eat them, surely there would have been a struggle and at least_ some _blood would have been spilt, right? Perhaps not a lot, but maybe a drop or two.

Suddenly, the wind shifted and a new scent came to the Kyuubi's attention. He tilted his head to the left and followed the scent, his steps soundless. His ears twitched and a barely audible voice could be heard coming from underneath a stall. Naruto crept closer and peered around the wooden panel, catching sight of a tiny creature pounding on a small box. Curiosity glinted in the fox's eyes as he watched the little being.

"Bah! Damn those humans and their evil boxes!" the creature shouted in a squeaky voice. It rapped on the metal box with its tiny clawed hands and tossed the container to the ground. Seeking vengeance, the creature kicked the box with all its might... and squealed in pain as its bony foot collided with the box. Needless to say, the box was unharmed.

"Damn it!" the creature swore, rubbing its now-sore toes.

Naruto's jaws parted and he uttered an amused bark. _"Need some help?" _he asked in the language of demons.

At the sound, the creature froze. It remained perfectly still for several moments until it slowly turned around. When the demon looked into Naruto's blue silted eyes, the fox gave it a toothy grin, trying to be friendly. Unfortunately, from the creature's point of view, looking into the long, sharp fangs of a larger demon was anything but friendly. It promptly fell over, landing face-first in the dust.

Concerned, Naruto barked again,_ "Are you all right?"_

The creature remained motionless.

The Kyuubi nudged the apparently lifeless demon with his paw.

There was no response.

Naruto nudged him again. The creature did not move. The fox sighed, _"You can be like that if you want, but just so you know, there are hunters nearby."_

The creature's head shot up, dirt covering its little face. "Where?"

_"Here, in the village." _

_"_I see..." the creature replied, yellow eyes nervously shifting from left to right. It crawled out from under the stall and stood up, brushing itself off. It looked at Naruto and said, "Well, I guess I better get going, huh?"

_"Not so fast, imp." _Naruto moved in front of the creature, his eyes firmly locked on the diminutive demon. Like most imps, the creature had a grey hide, squashed in face, pointy ears, stubby tail, and tiny claws upon its hands and feet. It wore the traditional garb of the imps; a potato sack made from brown rough cloth with holes for the arms, legs, head and tail.

The imp studied the large golden fox for a moment and said, "You seem familiar. Have I heard of you from somewhere?"

Naruto whipped his nine fluffy tails. _"Maybe."_

Quickly, the imp counted the tails. Realization dawned across his face. "Ah! You have nine tails! You're the Kyuubi, aren't you?"

Naruto dipped his head, _"Yes, I'm Naruto Uzumaki of the Land of Whirlpools. What is your name, imp?"_

"I am Yoji of the Southern Valley," the imp proclaimed proudly. He extended a clawed hand towards Naruto's large paw and grasped one of the claws, shaking it, the traditional greeting of demon kind.

After a moment, Yoji retracted his hand. His small nose twitched and he covered his it with both hands, as though having caught scent of something foul. "Naruto-sama, why do you smell so bad?" He laughed nervously, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've been spending all your time with humans..."

_"Lately, I have. So what?" _

Yoji blinked, not knowing what to say. After a moment, his eyes widened and he hopped up and down excitedly, "Oh, I get it! You must have been captured by the humans and then escaped in a complex, daring, thrill-packed, action adventure that only a demon of your caliber could possibly hope to accomplish!"

Naruto blinked, not sure how the imp had reached such a conclusion. _"Um, no."_

Abashed, Yoji stopped hopping. "If that didn't happen, why would you willingly stay with them?"

_"It's a long story, but there is one human in particular who I want to stay with." _

Yellow eyes bugged out in alarm, "You mean a... _mate_?" Yoji whispered the last word, as though it was forbidden to use in that context.

Naruto nodded, his tails wagging once more. _"Yeah."_

For a minute, the two were silent. Yoji began to fidget uncomfortably before breaking the silence, "Why would you want that sort of thing with human? Aren't you worried?"

_"Worried about what?" _Naruto's golden ears pricked up, listening intently.

"Well, it just that humans can't be trusted. They lie a lot and don't seem to believe in keeping their word. Not even to each other and definitely not us." A serious look appeared on Yoji's gray face. "You need to be careful is what I'm trying to say, especially because they're not like us. I've heard that some have several mates throughout their lives and still search for more. It seems as though they aren't satisfied with what they have."

Offended, a low growl escaped Naruto's throat, _"My human is not like that. He is honest and faithful." _

"I'm sorry." Yoji cringed, shying away from Naruto. "I meant you no disrespect, Kyuubi-sama." He bowed quickly, trying to mollify Naruto. As a lower ranked demon, Yoji knew he had overstepped his boundaries when asking such questions to Naruto, a tailed beast, the most respected of demon classes. In demon culture, it was very common for rudeness to a superior to be punished with beatings, bites, and getting slapped upside the head, none of which Yoji wanted from Naruto.

_"It's fine, Yoji." _Naruto said, noticing the imp's fear. _"Just remember that not all humans are bad, okay?"_

"I will."

_"Anyway," _Naruto tilted his head, "_why are you here? Do you know what happened to all the humans who lived in this village?"_

Yoji was about to respond, but a blur of silver zipped by him, coming close enough to his head that it nearly cut off a pointed ear. Instead, the shuriken buried itself into the chipped surface of a nearby wooden stall. The imp squealed in alarm and hid behind Naruto's tails, terrified about the prospect of having an ear loped off.

Glancing at the projectile, Naruto recognized it as one that Kisame normally used. He scented the air once and caught the familiar aroma of the shark demon, followed by Hidan and Kakuzu. Sure enough, all three members of Akatsuki soon approached, earning a greeting bark from Naruto.

Hidan frowned at the sight of the large fox and cowering imp behind him, confused. "Is that Naruto?"

Kakuzu nodded, "Obviously. How many other fox nine-tailed demons do you know?"

"Who's the little shit behind him?" Hidan asked.

"Let's find out." Kisame said to him before addressing the Kyuubi, "Naruto, there's a little thing behind you. Do you want me to get rid of it for you?"

_"No. It's okay." _Naruto said, _"In fact, I was just asking him if he knew anything about the missing villagers." _

Hidan blinked, looking at Kakuzu and Kisame in turn, "What the fuck did he just say?" All he heard was a series of soft growls and saw Naruto tilt his head slightly. The Kyuubi's language made no sense to him.

Kakuzu shrugged, "I have no idea. I don't speak fox."

To their surprise, Kisame translated, "He said that it's okay and was about to question the imp behind him -"

"Whoa. Hold on minute," Hidan held up a hand, stopping the shark demon. "You mean to tell me that you understood that?"

Kisame rolled his eyes, "Of course I did. I'm still a demon, you know. We all understand each other, no matter what type of demon we're talking to. In the end, it all translates to roughly the same thing."

"Does that mean you speak shark too?" Hidan asked, surprised.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Any type of demon. To a human, it looks like it's only an animal's way of communication, but to a demon, it's a fully functional language. "

Hidan was mildly impressed by this bit of information, but decided that it would be better to understand Naruto directly, "Naruto, can you hurry up and get un-foxed now? There's still shit to be taken care of."

Naruto nodded once, and gently pushed Yoji away from him. With a blur of sparkly red chakra and small flip backwards, Naruto returned to his human form. "Is that better?"

"Yes. Now continue." Kakuzu said, locking his green and red eyes on the imp still near Naruto.

Naruto smiled encouragingly at Yoji, but the imp refused to speak. His eyes were fixed on the Akatsuki members before him. The yellow orbs reflected his fear, mixed with a deep distrust.

"It's okay, Yoji. They won't hurt you." Naruto said, trying to comfort the creature.

Yoji just stared, unblinking and silent.

This was too much for Hidan, "Damn it!" he said, losing his patience. "If you don't say anything useful right now, I'll rip out your tongue and choke you with it!"

"Did you hear that, Naruto-sama?" Yoji cried, clinging to his leg. "He's threatening me! Humans can't be trusted!" Wrinkling his nose, Yoji added, "And they stink too! Especially the one with the scythe!"

Since Yoji spoke in the language of humans, Hidan understood every word and it only served to anger the silver-haired man. Scythe in hand, he rushed Yoji, intending on slicing his head off. Before he could, Naruto intervened. He quickly pulled out two kunai, one in each hand, and prepared to defend himself and Yoji. As Hidan swung his scythe in a downward slash, Naruto blocked it, locking one of his kunai beneath the topmost blade and the other under the center blade. For a moment, the two struggled against each other, each not backing down.

"That's enough, Hidan." Naruto said, gritting his teeth. "Calm down and leave him alone." His arms burned from the impact of the scythe as he strained to hold it at bay.

"I'll stop when that little shit gets talking." Hidan growled back, feeling the pressure in his wrists.

"Fine. Now back off." Naruto's pupils became slit and the blue irises slowly shifted to purple then red.

The intimidating red eyes looking back at him reminded Hidan of Itachi's Sharingan. Hidan also knew that if he were to hurt Naruto, even if it was just a small scratch, Itachi would be extremely pissed off. Naruto was the Kyuubi and could take care of himself, but the Uchiha would still retaliate in some way. Hidan was sure of that.

With this in mind, Hidan relented, pulling his scythe back. Naruto pocketed his kunai and cleared his throat, "Hidan, apologize to Yoji and promise you won't hurt him."

"What?" Hidan cried.

"Do it!" Naruto ordered him, crimson eyes still burning.

At this point, Yoji grew frightened and backed away from Naruto. He looked at Hidan, who narrowed his purple eyes at the imp. "I'm sorry." the man said grudgingly, "I promise not to kill you."

"It's supposed to be 'hurt', not 'kill'." Kakuzu corrected, watching the scene with interest.

Without looking at Kakuzu, Hidan flipped his partner off, "Yeah, yeah. Kill, hurt, whatever. It's all the same shit in the end, right?"

This seemed to satisfy Yoji. With another reassuring glance from Naruto, Yoji began, "About a week ago, a huge snake demon came to the Southern Valley, the area where I live with my clan. He made all us imps work for him, saying a bunch of stuff and making lots of threats if we didn't do as he said. The snake told us about needing to use us imps as scouts to look for humans. Not hurt them, but let him know about where the humans were and what they were doing." Yoji paused, scratching his ears. "This is where things started getting weird. Wherever we said the humans were, the humans in that area would disappear. It first happened in a few dwellings near main roads, and then whole villages like this one started to become empty. The only reason why I'm here now is to see if all the humans are really gone."

"Do you know what's happening to the villagers?" Naruto asked.

Yoji appeared unsure, "Well, not really. The Snake King used a lot of big words so I didn't understand some of what he was saying."

"What words?" Kakuzu inquired.

"He said that the humans were useless and weak. Their only real purpose is to be 'fodder for the army.'"

Kakuzu's eyes widened slightly, "That's what he said? Are you sure?"

Yoji nodded, "Yup. I only remembered because I didn't know what the word 'fodder' meant. What does it mean?"

Naruto, Kisame, and Hidan looked at Kakuzu expectantly, waiting for him to answer. When he finally did, his words were slow and deliberate, allowing the meaning to soak into their brains.

"Fodder," Kakuzu said, "normally refers to feed for farm animals, such as the hay or grain for cattle and horses. However, in this context, it appears the humans will be used as fodder for a demonic army lead by the Snake King, Orochimaru."

Kisame's eyes widened in alarm, "Orochimaru? Isn't he the one who killed Itachi's family?"

"Yes." Naruto answered softly, recalling what Itachi had told him about that day. He remembered how difficult it had been for Itachi to talk about the event and how mournful he was when talking about his deceased family. A surge of anger flared within the Kyuubi. _All Orochimaru ever does is kill innocents, _he thought. _He's destroyed lives, families and is now using whole villages to feed his supposed 'troops'. He needs to be killed before anyone else suffers._

Although Yoji didn't care much for humanity, he still felt sorry for the humans. "So, if the humans are 'fodder', they'll all be killed? Even the little ones?" Despite himself, Yoji liked children. They were usually so gentle, innocent, and rather mischievous, behaving in ways that closely resembled imps as youngsters.

"If my theory and your information are correct, then yes,_ all _the humans will be fed to the demons." Kakuzu answered grimly. "Orochimaru is not known for being merciful to anyone. There's no reason for them to be spared."

"Damn it!" Hidan swore, frustrated. "What the fuck are we supposed to do? We can't just stand here like dumbasses and do nothing!" He turned on Yoji, grabbing him by an ankle, holding him upside down so the imp's eyes were level with the man's. "Where is Orochimaru's hideout?" he demanded.

"I don't know!" Yoji squealed, squirming like a worm on a hook. "Let me go!"

"Not until you tell us what we want to know!"

"But I don't know! He keeps all the imps away from the main keep." Yoji cried, twisting his torso towards Naruto, waving his arms. "See, Kyuubi-sama? He promised not to hurt me, but he lied! Humans are liars!"

"That's enough." Kisame said before Naruto could respond. He approached his friend, punched him in the ribs, and pulled the imp free before setting him on the ground. The imp hobbled towards Naruto and jumped into his arms.

Hidan rubbed at his side, glared at the shark demon. "What the fuck did I do?"

"You're taking things too far, like usual." Kisame replied. "Hurting the imp won't change anything."

"Whatever..." Hidan scowled. "Then what the hell are we supposed to do? Nothing?"

"No," Kakuzu said, "we do have something to do. We need to get back to the base and tell Leader-sama what we've discovered. From there, we can devise a plan of attack."

"Then let's go!" Hidan insisted.

"What about me?" Yoji asked suddenly. "What am I supposed to go?"

Naruto answered before anyone else could, "Why don't you come with us, Yoji? After all, we wouldn't have found out any of this without your help."

"I don't know..." Yoji looked away from Naruto, thinking it over. "I guess I can, but only if it's okay with the humans." Yoji looked at Kakuzu, awaiting his response.

"Very well," Kakuzu said, somewhat reluctantly. "I suppose sheltering the imp for a few days won't cause any harm."

Naruto seemed pleased, "Great. Now let's get a move on. If we hurry back, we can be back at the hideout near sunset."

The others agreed and shortly after, the Akatsuki members and two demons made their way to the entrance of Kusa. When they reached the main gate, a chill appeared in the air. Naruto shivered slightly, suddenly uneasy. He sniffed the air and his keen sense of smell alerted him to someone approaching. He stopped, Yoji still hanging on to him.

"Naruto, what is it?" Kisame asked before he too, felt uneasy. He tightened his grip on his sword and met Naruto's eyes, "Somebody's coming." It wasn't a question.

Naruto nodded once. Next to him, Kakuzu squinted towards the gate and Hidan readied his scythe.

Before long, a demon man with a silver ponytail approached. He wore round, black glasses over dark eyes that glinted with a cunning coldness that was visible even at a distance. His steps were slow, allowing the group to clearly appraise him. When he was about twenty feet away, he stopped.

"Well, well, well... Look what we have here. It's little Yoji and he's surrounded by the esteemed Akatsuki." He glanced briefly at the imp, Hidan, Kisame, and Kakuzu, then fixed his eyes on Naruto, slightly pushing up his glasses. "Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the Kyuubi?" he asked in false admiration.

Naruto didn't reply, only growled.

Yoji, however, did respond. "Greetings, Kabuto-san."

"Don't be so formal, Yoji. I thought we were buddies," the man called Kabuto said. He smiled slightly in an almost malevolent way.

"Um... sure we are." Yoji replied uncertainly.

Kabuto spread his arms out in a welcoming gesture, "Then why don't you come over here so I can greet you properly... Unless, of course, your new _friends_ won't allow it."

Naruto emitted another low growl, tightening his hold on the imp. Hidan moved closer to the blond demon. "This guy's dangerous." Naruto said to them.

Kisame nodded once and Kakuzu too inclined his head, but all remained silent and tense.

The newcomer tilted his head, "What's wrong, everyone? Do I look too threatening for you?"

"Not at all." Yoji replied politely.

"In that case, why don't you come here, Yoji?"

When the imp didn't leave Naruto's arms, Kabuto tried again, "Come here, Yoji. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." Despite his honeyed words, his eyes glittered with malice. "In fact, I'm going to give you something... something I think you deserve."

Curiosity sparkled in the little demon's yellow orbs. "A present?"

"Yes, you could say that..."

"OK." Yoji wriggled free of Naruto's grasp and leapt to the ground with ease. He started forward, but felt a tug of resistance to his clothing. It was Naruto.

"Don't go." He said, barely moving his lips as his red eyes remained focused on Kabuto.

Yoji gently pushed Naruto's hand away. "No, Kyuubi-sama. It's going to be all right." He smiled reassuringly at the other demon. "Remember, we demons firmly believe in keeping out promises. Kabuto-san is no different. He says he won't hurt me and I believe that he won't."

"But, Yoji, you can't always believe every word a demon says. Anybody can lie."

"Yes, but demons aren't just anybody." Yoji replied confidently. With that, he strode forward, a slight limp to his walk. His left ankle - the one that Hidan had grabbed him by - was beginning to swell. The imp didn't complain, though, and made his way to the other demon he appeared to trust.

Just as Yoji stepped up to Kabuto, Naruto sensed a strong, concentrated chakra. A malignant aura surrounded Kabuto as he put his right hand behind his back...

"Yoji, run!" Naruto screamed desperately. "Get out of there now!"

But it was too late. As the small gray imp turned away from Kabuto to look at Naruto, Kabuto struck him with his right hand, now coated in a deadly green chakra blade. The blade passed through Yoji's tiny body as easily as a hot knife through butter. Dark red blood gushed out as Yoji was nearly sliced in half across his chest and abdomen.

Stunned, Yoji fell and lay on the dirt, fatally bleeding out. "Why?" he wheezed, barely breathing.

Kabuto laughed a mirthless, brittle sound. "Why?" he repeated mockingly. "I know all about you telling everyone about the plans. Nobody needs a blabbermouth like you around." He sneered, "I just gave you what you deserved for selling out Orochimaru-sama. This is your so-called 'present' from me."

At this point, Naruto leapt at Kabuto, claws extended from his hands. Naruto slashed at him, slicing open his chest. The Kyuubi jumped away as Kabuto swung his chakra blade at him. Evading it, Naruto scooped up the blood-soaked imp and dashed away as Hidan rushed Kabuto. Kisame and Kakuzu followed close behind, and soon, all three Akatsuki were engaged in a heated conflict with Kabuto.

A short distance away, Naruto placed Yoji on the ground carefully, checking to see if he was still alive. The imp was, but barely.

"I-I should have ... l-listened to you..." Yoji whispered to Naruto. "I can't b-believe... he lied..."

"That's enough talk. Save your strength." Naruto glanced back at the battle. Although Kakuzu, Hidan, and Kisame were trying their hardest against Kabuto, it appeared they had barely scratched him. Naruto narrowed his eyes, studying the scene with greater scrutiny.

_He's healing himself, _Naruto realized as he saw the green chakra flashes appear on various places of Kabuto's body. _That's why they can't hurt him. _

Just after Naruto had this revelation, Kabuto dodged a strike from Samehada and flipped backwards several feet. He reached into a pouch tied around his waist and withdrew a tiny glass vial filled with purple smoke. The vial was then thrown to the ground where it shattered and freed the haze. It spread quickly and induced a coughing fit among the battling Akatsuki, temporarily incapacitating them.

Hidden in the purple fog, Kabuto's voice rang out, "You Akatsuki certainly are a tenacious bunch. Although our little meeting has been fun, it's time for me to be heading home. Don't worry; we will meet again soon... and I'm especially looking forward to seeing you again, Kyuubi. I'm sure Orochimaru-sama would agree with me on that. Farewell for now..."

After several hacking coughs, Kisame, Hidan, and Kakuzu emerged from the purple smoke. Naruto watched as they staggered a distance away and attempted to fill their lungs with clean air before calling them over to his location with Yoji. Mercifully, he and the imp were unharmed from the haze; the wind had been blowing away from the patch of grass they were sitting in.

"How... is... he... doing?" Kisame asked Naruto between breaths. He gestured to Yoji, leaning heavily on Samehada.

"Not well." Naruto shook his head. "He's dying."

Yoji blinked once as though to confirm, but said nothing.

Naruto patted the imp's cheek, trying to comfort him. "I'm sorry, Yoji." he said. He knew he had done nothing wrong, but he still felt he needed to say it.

The imp didn't not speak, but lightly tapped Naruto's hand in gratitude for his concern.

Kakuzu gazed down at Yoji and Naruto, "Before we leave, we shall give him a proper burial."

Yellow eyes registered this comment with a hint of fear, but mostly resignation. Naruto saw the look and asked Kakuzu if it would be at possible to heal Yoji. Kakuzu shook his head, "No. I'm afraid not. the wound is too severe."

"Oh." Naruto lowered his head.

"It's o-okay, K-Kyuubi-sama." Yoji whispered, his grey hide becoming pallid. "Just d-do s-something for m-me..."

"Anything." Naruto didn't hesitate.

"The box I had e-earlier... g-get it for me." Yoji coughed, sending rivulets of blood down his small chin. Despite his fading life, he tried to sit up, determined to say one more thing.

Naruto nodded, "I'll do it. Anything else?"

"I know you have your human, but please don't forget about us." said the imp softly, his yellow eyes almost pleading. "Don't forget about who you are, Naruto Uzumaki of the Land of Whirlpools."

Naruto's mouth opened to question him, but Yoji gasped, unable to regain his breath. He laid back, eyes closed, and was still. Naruto felt the imp's heart beat once more before stopping completely. Yoji was dead.

"Is he..." Hidan began, but trailed off, catching the sorrowful look Naruto's eye. "I'm sorry. As far as imps go, he was decent."

Naruto was silent and stood up, Yoji's still-warm blood on his clothes and hands. He placed Yoji on the grass beneath him before heading back into Kusa village to retrieve the metal box Yoji had been trying to open. The box was exactly where Yoji had left it, under the wooden stall in the market area.

When Naruto returned to the outskirts of the village, the Akatsuki and Yoji's body were gone. He sniffed the air, following their scents. It didn't take him long to find everyone. They were waiting for him outside the village, at the foot of the huge hill that led to Kusa.

"We thought it would be more fitting to bury him outside a human settlement." Kakuzu explained to the Kyuubi. "After all, he said he didn't like how the scent of humans."

Still holding the metal box, Naruto smiled weakly in appreciation. His blue eyes traveled to the hole that Hidan and Kisame were digging with large, hollowed out rocks. When it was four feet deep, Naruto stopped them. "That's enough. Yoji was a little guy and imps don't believe in being buried too deep in the ground."

Kisame nodded and stood up, "Do they use coffins or anything?"

"No. They like to be buried in the earth without them so their bodies can become a part of it." Naruto said, remembering what he had learned as a kid about other demons' culture. His father used to read to him about them and the details had always remained in his memory.

Hidan frowned and was about to comment on this odd belief, but Kakuzu shot him a warning glance. Surprisingly, the silver-haired man listened and said nothing. He picked up the imp's bloody body and gently placed him in the earth. "Just like that?"

"Yeah. That's all there is to it," Naruto confirmed. After a moment, he continued. "We have to say something nice now."

"Do we have to?" Hidan asked. He didn't like these kinds of things.

"Just do it." Kisame stepped up to the grave and grabbed a handful of dirt. "Well, Yoji, you were a good imp. Not everyone can tell Hidan he stinks and get away with it." He tossed the dirt carefully over the body. "I thought it was pretty funny. Thanks."

The shark demon glanced at Kakuzu, signaling it was his turn. Kakuzu knelt down, studying the imp's lifeless form. "Normally, I wouldn't do this, but you've been a very valuable source of information for us. We can do a lot with it. Thank you." Like Kisame before him, he scooped up some dirt and tossed it in the hole.

Under Naruto's watchful gaze, Hidan cleared his throat. Konan had once said he was insensitive to others. He had known she was right, but still didn't like to be told that. Today, he decided he would be sensitive. For a while, anyway. "Yoji, you were a good little imp," he said simply, before adding another handful of dirt to the steadily growing pile. "I'm glad I didn't kill you."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. He knew that was as good as it was going to get from Hidan. Naruto knew this too, so he just smiled slightly at the demon hunters around them. "Thank you, guys. You didn't have to do this."

"With all things considered, it was the right thing to do," replied Kakuzu. "It's your turn, Naruto."

"OK." Naruto paused, gathering his thoughts. He remembered Yoji's last words, "I won't forget, Yoji. I promise." With that, he threw in some more dirt, covering Yoji. He stepped back and sighed, sad.

Kakuzu gestured to Hidan and Kisame, signaling for them to finish the burial. They did so, using the rocks from earlier to fill the grave completely. As they did so, Naruto brought his attention to the metal box he still held. Carefully, he used kunai to pop the lock off and opened the box. Inside was what appeared to be a fishing lure. It was a long string, carefully twined around long, colorful feathers. A small skull - probably a bird's - hung from it along with an assortment of small bones.

Curious, Kakuzu glanced at it. "What is that?"

"A good luck charm for imps." Naruto held it up, the bones gently clacking together.

Once Kisame and Hidan had completely filled in the hole in the earth, Naruto picked up a flat stone and scratched Yoji's name onto it. He then placed it over the grave before grabbing a stick and stabbing it into the ground. Bending the top of the stick carefully, Naruto tied the charm around it, hoping it would grant the imp luck, wherever he went next.

With that and a quick prayer, Naruto and the Akatsuki continued on their way back to the base.

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_**Three hours later... **_

Near the main forest path closest to the Akatsuki's base, Deidara knelt in the grass. He reached into his pocket and removed a formless lump of white clay. With a few deft movements of his right hand, he shaped it into a small bird. He fed it a tiny portion of his chakra and it came to life. It hopped in his palm, awaiting orders from its master.

"Tell me how close the target is," Deidara said to it. "Make sure you hurry back, un."

The bird nodded and flew away without a sound. Deidara waited patiently, flexing the fingers of his left hand. He frowned, realizing it wasn't as dexterous as his right. Although it was able to perform most tasks, the nerves were more deadened than he would have liked to admit. Still, he was grateful to Kakuzu and his medical skills. After all, it was thanks to Kakuzu why he even had an arm at all after battling against the Kyuubi and getting his original arm bitten off. According to Kakuzu, his new arm was a 'donation' from a willing donor. Deidara interpreted that to mean that the appendage came from a dead body that Kakuzu had managed to acquire from somewhere. The blond found this more than a little unsettling, but as they say, beggars can't be choosers.

The clay bird returned after two minutes, alighting on Deidara's right shoulder with hardly a sound.

"Well, un?" Deidara prompted.

The bird looked down the path briefly and nodded once.

"Estimated time of arrival?"

The clay bird bobbed its head repeatedly. When it reached the tenth bob, it stopped and fluttered to his left shoulder.

"Ten minutes? Are you sure about that, un?"

Again, the mute bird confirmed with a dip of its head.

Deidara smirked, pleased with the knowledge that his plan was coming together quite well. "All right. You can leave the rest to me, un."

The clay bird raised a foot to its master, its version of a salute. Deidara cupped the bird in his hands for a moment before releasing it into the sky. It glided along the breeze, ascending several feet before exploding in a small burst of fire. Watching the explosion brought a sense of pride to Deidara, reminding him that the best art of all is an explosion, and explosions were what he did best.

Getting to his feet, Deidara left the main path where he had been sitting and picked his way through the dense bushes along the side of the road. Taking a circuitous route around the base, he ignored the brambles and thorns that picked at his clothes and hair, focusing on what he needed to do. It took him roughly three minutes to get through the tangled, untouched greenery. When he did, he was standing only one hundred feet from the training field behind the Akatsuki's base, as planned.

Leaving the training field at that moment was a lone figure; Itachi. The Uchiha appeared to be headed to the main road where Deidara had been minutes before.

_Probably to go wait for the Kyuubi to return, un._ Deidara thought. He found it odd how Itachi always did that. No matter how long the Kyuubi was gone, Itachi was always there to greet him upon his return. It was almost as though Itachi had a sixth sense that allowed him to know when Naruto was nearby.

Deidara trudged through the last thick shrubs that blocked his path and proceeded to follow the Uchiha at a leisurely pace, steadily counting the seconds. When he estimated to have four and a half minutes left, he decided to make his presence known.

"Itachi, what's up?" he called, sounding to sound casual.

Leaning against an oak tree, Itachi had his back towards Deidara. He didn't turn around, only responded tersely, "Nothing."

"Oh? Is that so, un?" Deidara padded up to the other man, standing before him.

Visibly annoyed, Itachi narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Deidara?"

"Sheesh... I didn't know it was against the law to try being friendly to co-workers." Deidara said with a roll of his eyes. "Believe it or not, but most people actually enjoy a little conversation now and then, un."

"Just cut the crap, Deidara!" Itachi snapped.

Deidara flinched and took a step backward, surprised at how angry Itachi was. He held up his hands, "Itachi, I don't know what you're ta-"

"Shut up!" Itachi growled back, advancing towards him. "I know what Pein and you are planning. Konan told me everything!"

Deidara's eyes widened as though he was surprised, but internally, he wasn't the least bit surprised. Of course Konan would tell the truth. She wasn't the type of person to lie, and definitely not seduce someone with a significant other... and after some serious thought, neither was Deidara, for that matter. He was, however, not above lying.

The blond lowered his eyes, guilty. "I suppose it's only right that she told you, un."

This caught Itachi off-guard. He hadn't expected that reaction from him. "What do you mean?"

"You see, it's just that Leader-sama forced me into agreeing. I had no choice in the matter." Deidara lied. Careful to watch Itachi's reaction, he continued. "Currently, I'm in a relationship of my own and I wouldn't want to jeopardize that to follow appalling orders. un." This last part was only a half-lie. Although Deidara and Sasori were split up for the time being, Deidara still hoped to try and salvage the relationship to at least remain friends with the red-head, who, at present, was still upset with him. Having an affair with Itachi sounded like a good idea for a while, but ultimately, Deidara knew that it would do more harm than good. Besides, there was a 99.9% that Itachi would say no, and Deidara didn't like those odds.

"Relationship with whom?"

"My man Sasori, of course."

"If you aren't going to try anything stupid, why are you here?"

"I'm still under orders." Deidara sighed, as though facing a terrible difficulty. After a moment, his eyes brightened, as though having a wonderful idea. "Itachi, can you do me a favor, un?"

Suspicion flickered across Itachi's face, "That depends on what you're asking me."

"Well," Deidara began, feigning a nervous tone of voice. "Leader-sama will question me about what I did about you, and I can't tell him I refused to do as he said. You know how angry he gets when someone ignores orders..." He shivered slightly, as though scared. "I was wondering if we could kiss..."

"No." Itachi replied immediately, folding his arms.

"Hear me out, Itachi. It doesn't have to be anything dirty. Just a peck, un."

"Why?"

"That way if Leader-sama asks me, I can honestly say that I tried. He can't get mad if I made _some_ effort to do as he says." Deidara shrugged, "I'll tell him the plan didn't work and there was nothing I could have done differently, un."

Itachi was resolute, "No."

"Why not?" Deidara asked. "It's not as though I'll be sticking my tongue down your throat! Just a peck, un!"

Itachi once again declined, only to have Deidara keep asking in different ways. After a minute of Deidara continuing on and on, the Uchiha's left eyebrow began to twitch as he listened to the wheedling voice of the blond. His tone was so annoying.

_Maybe he'll shut up if I agree, _Itachi thought, positive that he was about to get a severe migraine if he had to endure any more of Deidara's drivel. _It's just a kiss, after all. _

"Enough." Itachi said, silencing the blond. "Let's just get it over with." His voice firm, he added, "As you said, only a peck. Understand?"

Deidara nodded.

"Then promise."

"I promise, un." Deidara agreed, but surreptitiously crossed his fingers underneath the long sleeves of his cloak.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

With that, Itachi stepped closer to Deidara and leaned forward. Deidara pressed his lips to the dark-haired man's, a light but firm contact. Just as Itachi was pulling away, Deidara acted. Moving very quickly, Deidara hands reached behind Itachi, grabbing his ass and squeezing. Itachi gasped in outraged surprise, his mouth opening to protest. Deidara used the opportunity to slide his tongue into the Uchiha's mouth, forcefully deepening the kiss.

Itachi felt Deidara's tongue on his and tasted his mouth. He tried to pull away immediately, but Deidara held him tightly in a surprisingly strong grip. Thinking quickly, Itachi bit down on the wet intruder in his mouth, feeling as his teeth cut into the blond's tongue. Upon experiencing the unexpected pain, Deidara let Itachi out of his grasp. Only then did Itachi let his tongue go from between his teeth.

Panting, Deidara reeled back, the taste of coppery blood in his mouth. Itachi panted too, angry. He slammed Deidara into a nearby tree, his face mere centimeters from the other man's. "What was that?" Itachi demanded.

Instead of Deidara replying, Itachi heard a different voice.

"I'd like to know, too."

Eyes widened in alarm, Itachi looked up to see Naruto standing there.


	10. True Feelings

Author's Note: Hello, there! Well, here's the resolution to the last chapter's cliff-hanger, but before we start, I'd like to thank the seriously badass people who reviewed! Thank you sooo much! And let's not forget the wonderful people who added this story to alerts and faves! Yay for you! Thanks for your support everyone!

Since that's been settled, let's continue the story! Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor will I claim otherwise.

_**WARNING:**_ _This chapter contains scenes of violence/blood, suggestive dialogue, yaoi, and strong sexual content, AKA, a lemon. __**The lemon's end and beginning has been clearly marked, so readers may skip it if **__**desired.**__ However, reader discretion is still strongly advised…_

10. True Feelings

_**Three Minutes Previously...**_

Naruto, Kisame, Hidan and Kakuzu had traveled in silence for most of the trip back to the Akatsuki's base. After the day they had, nobody was in a talkative mood.

Naruto spent the better part of the trip thinking about everything that happened, but especially about Yoji and how senseless his death had been. It made Naruto realize something. Not only were humans suffering because of Orochimaru, but demons were too, even if nobody was fully aware of it. Naruto knew that some demons were probably helping Orochimaru of their own free will but so many weren't. Just like the humans, those demons needed someone to protect them too. But who would do it?

"We're making good time. We should be back in less than a few minutes." Kakuzu announced, pulling Naruto out of his thoughts and back into the present. Naruto nodded dumbly in acknowledgement before realizing what it meant; he would see Itachi soon!

A flood of happiness at the thought of seeing the Uchiha quickened Naruto's sluggish steps. He walked at the head of the group, taking longer strides and obviously wanting to get to Itachi sooner rather than later.

Kisame took notice. Despite his wariness towards the idea of Naruto and Itachi as a couple, he couldn't help but grin slightly at the sight of how eager Naruto was to get back to the Uchiha.

"Naruto," he called, "Why don't you just run on ahead? We'll be there soon, anyway."

"Can I?" Naruto asked, excited at the prospect. He looked at Hidan and Kakuzu to see if it was okay.

"Go ahead. It doesn't matter to me." Kakuzu replied. Hidan merely waved him off, signaling for him to leave.

Naruto grinned broadly at them before turning away and dashing through the forest path. He channeled chakra into his feet, increasing his speed as well as muffling the sound of his footsteps. When the wind blew in his direction, he could clearly smell Itachi and that only served to double his speed.

Within moments Naruto reached the end of the forest path. He sniffed the air once more and caught Itachi's scent... and someone else's. Naruto frowned. Unless he was mistaken, it was Deidara's. It made him pause briefly, but he dismissed it and hurried forward. He wanted to see Itachi.

Naruto pushed through a dense bush, positive Itachi was on the other side of it. Sure enough, he was... and he was kissing Deidara, who kissed him back passionately, arms around him.

A stab of cold entered Naruto's body at the sight. His eyes suddenly burned, tears threatening to spill out. It felt as though the air had been ripped from his lungs. He couldn't speak. All he could do is stand there, watching as his wonderful mate kissed someone else. His body felt numb, except for a horrible pain in his chest as his heart broke.

Naruto watched as Itachi and Deidara separated, panting for breath from their moment of passion. He saw how Itachi pushed Deidara against that tree, before presumably going in for another kiss. Instead, Itachi asked, "What was that?"

Had Itachi wanted more, right then and there, from Deidara? Naruto didn't know, but he at last found his voice to ask. "I'd like to know, too."

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Itachi stared at Naruto for what felt like an eternity, even though it had only been a few seconds. He saw the intense anger and sorrow that burned in the Kyuubi's eyes before it transformed into a controlled cold fury.

"What the hell is going on?" Naruto asked, his voice as icy as a glacier in winter.

"It's not what you think, Naruto-kun." Itachi said, a note of desperation creeping into his voice.

"You're right; it's not what I _think_..." Naruto said tonelessly. Suddenly, his blue eyes burned bright red and he snarled, "It's what I _saw_! How dare you lie to me?!"

As soon as Deidara met Naruto's eyes, he regretted it. Naruto leapt at him, nails extended into claws. Without much thought, Itachi pushed Deidara away from the tree and to safety. Deidara stumbled and Itachi helped him up.

Naruto slammed into the tree, breaking it in half and not even feeling as jagged splinters punctured his skin. He whipped around, a demonic snarl on his face, "Now, you're protecting him?!"

Itachi resisted the urge to flinch at the pure anger in Naruto's voice. "Naruto-kun," he said calmly, "please let me explain what's going on."

"Why should I? So you can just lie to me?!" screamed Naruto, his eyes stinging from unshed tears.

At this point, Kakuzu, Hidan, and Kisame rushed to the scene. They looked at Naruto, and then noticed Itachi close to Deidara.

"What's going on here?" Kakuzu asked slowly. His hunter's sense was screaming at him to leave immediately, but he still needed to find out.

"I kissed Itachi, un." Deidara answered, trying to inch away from Naruto.

Shocked, Hidan gaped at the explosives master, "You did _what_?"

"He kissed Itachi," Naruto said. He bit his lip to keep from howling his distress, fang teeth cutting into his flesh. The physical pain was nothing compared to the raw, aching wound in his heart.

Ignoring all those around him, Itachi reached out to Naruto, who was now quivering slightly. "Please, Naruto-kun." He touched his shoulder gently and looked Naruto in the eyes, trying to convey his feelings.

That's when all Hell broke loose.

Seeing Itachi's eyes looking back into his own triggered an instinctive demonic reaction from the Kyuubi; if somebody hurts you, hurt them even worse.

Within milliseconds, Naruto transformed with a blast of fiery red chakra. The Akatsuki members who surrounded him were blown backwards by a concussion wave of raw energy from the transforming Naruto. The chakra scorched the surrounding plants, leaving them smoking around the savagely angry nine-tailed fox.

Kakuzu picked himself out of the tangle of vines he fell into, ignoring the blood that was dripping down from a gash on his arm he had sustained from falling into thorns. "Everybody, retreat!" he ordered, roughly grabbing a dazed Hidan off the ground. "Get back to the base or you _will _die here!"

Nobody argued. As one, they tried to get to the possible safety that their base offered. Except Itachi. He stayed behind, coughing from the smoke. Cautiously, he approached Naruto, who snarled and snapped at him viciously. A wet trail in the golden fur below Naruto's eyes gave an outward indication of his emotional distress. The tears only made Itachi want to be near him.

"Itachi!" Kisame grabbed his sleeve, tugging on it hard. "We gotta go! Now!"

"No!" Itachi pulled away forcefully. "I need to be with him!"

Not considering the consequences of his actions, he ran to Naruto, easily crossing the ten feet that separated them.

Ears flattened against his head, Naruto bared his teeth. "_Stay away from me!"_

"Naruto-kun, please!" Itachi pleaded. For his trouble, Naruto lashed out, striking him with a clawed paw. Itachi felt the skin on his chest rip open and the impact sent him flying towards Kisame, who was knocked off his feet. Together, the partners tumbled backwards. They rolled to a stop a few feet from the main clearing outside the base. The other Akatsuki members immediately went to their aid.

Kisame got to his feet shakily, feeling as though his brain had been rattled way too hard against his skull. He offered a hand to Itachi, but the Uchiha smacked it away, standing up and staring at Naruto. The fox's nine tails were thrashing wildly now, snapping tree branches and trunks as if they were mere twigs. Itachi saw as Naruto reared up on his hind legs briefly before bringing his forepaws back down on the ground with a lot of force. At the impact, a powerful tremor rocked the earth, splitting sections of the ground apart.

"He's creating earthquakes?" Hidan asked, dumbstruck. "We're all going to die, aren't we?"

"Maybe." Kakuzu replied grimly. He knew Naruto's power was way beyond anything the demon hunters could handle and this was just a fragment of it.

Hidan wasn't happy to hear it the news. He clenched his right fist and punched Deidara in the jaw. "You stupid dumbass! This is all your fault! What the fuck is wrong with you?" He struck the blond again, this time hitting Deidara in the stomach, knocking the air from his lungs. Deidara gasped, trying to fill his lungs with oxygen. "You dumb fuck! Why would you even try something so stupid?!" Hidan grabbed the blond by his collar, shaking him. "Why?! Answer me!"

Deidara coughed, blood from Itachi's bite and Hidan's punch spilling out of his mouth. "I didn't know he would react like this." He lowered his eyes from the other man's, incredibly guilty and terrified. "I just wanted to get back at Naruto. I just wanted a little revenge against the demon that beat me. That's all it was, I swear, un!"

Disgusted, Hidan threw Deidara away from him. "You're a sick fuck, you know that?" He turned around to see Konan and Pein hurrying towards them. Konan's amber eyes were full of sadness as she gazed at the rampaging Naruto, then pity as she caught sight of Deidara's face that was beginning to swell from Hidan's attack. Pein's eyes remained impassive as he watched Naruto, but his body was tense.

Konan knelt down and helped up Deidara, supporting part of his weight on her. "Why did you do it?" she whispered to him, "You knew it was wrong, and yet you still did it. Why?"

"I'm sorry we can't all be like you and do the right thing every day." Deidara said bitterly before looking away. He sighed, "I didn't want to go all the way with Itachi. Just a kiss to upset Naruto, un."

"I guess it worked," she said sadly. "He's beyond upset now..."

Deidara was silent. If he had known any to this was going to happen, he would have never tried it all. Sure, he had been mad that Naruto had beaten him twice, but was a bit of revenge worth it for possibly being killed? No. Obviously not, but it seemed it was a lesson learned too late. Now everyone could be killed for it. Deidara glanced over at Pein, noticing the man's apparent lack of concern. Had he known this would happen? Was this his plan all along?

"Leader-sama," Deidara called. Pein didn't respond. The blond continued, ''The mission was a failure, un."

At this, all eyes turned to Pein.

"What mission?" Kisame growled. Another earthquake rocked the area, followed by an angry roar from Naruto.

Pein replied coolly, "It was just something I asked Konan and Deidara to do to drive away Kyuubi. That's all."

At this, Itachi finally snapped. "That's all?" he repeated before raising his voice, "How can you say that?! _My_ Naruto-kun going insane because of _you_! Not only that, but we're all at risk because of your pathetic excuse for orders! What kind of leader are you?!"

"I was just trying to protect you, Itachi!" Pein grit his teeth as another roar echoed through the air.

"Protect me?" Itachi spat, "I don't need anyone to protect me, but especially not you!"

A thunderous crash alerted the Akatsuki to the Kyuubi once again. They saw trees being toppled over as Naruto barreled through them, running away deeper into the forest.

"He's leaving." Konan said, her eyes wide with concern.

"I'm going after him." Itachi stated without a moment's hesitation. Once again, someone grabbed his sleeve. It was Pein.

"You can't," he said. "It's too dangerous. He _will _kill you."

"I already know that," Itachi shoved the orange-haired man away from him, "but I need to go after him."

"I forbid it!" Pein shouted, his perpetually calm exterior breaking. "I order you to stay here!"

"I'm through taking orders from you!" Without a second look at his comrades, Itachi's dark eyes gleamed with determination as he raced away to follow Naruto, knowing full well he may never come back.

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Standing at the very top of a pine tree, Itachi surveyed the area. He made a mental note of where he needed to go before leaping through the trees, his feet never missing a branch or foothold. He had been sprinting almost non-stop for an hour in an attempt to get to Naruto, with his only break being used for surveillance. Thankfully, following Naruto wasn't difficult for Itachi. After all, it was hard to ignore the ripped up and partially burned sections of earth that formed an uneven zigzag through the dense forest. It had to be Naruto's path. Who else had chakra that was capable of burning things and was strong enough to uproot massive trees?

Before reaching a clearing at the base of a mountain, Itachi heard a tell-tale roar before it turned into a loud sorrowful whine. Knowing it was Naruto, the sound made his heart ache, but he continued his mission.

In the heart of the clearing, a bright gold mass of fur lay in the grass. It shivered and emitted another loud whine that petered out into a soft whimper. Naruto.

Itachi crept closer to the demon, his steps soundless. When he got within arm's reach of the Kyuubi, he couldn't resist the impulse to try and comfort him and tried to stroke the silky fur. Although his intentions were only good, he failed to recognize the immense danger he was putting himself in.

At the light touch, Naruto whipped around, teeth bared and tails whipping. He slammed the side of his long muzzle against the Uchiha, knocking him over and leaving him gasping, his back on the ground and the wounds he had received earlier from Naruto beginning to burn painfully. He groaned, closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, he found himself looking into the open, fanged maw of an angry demon.

"_Why are you here, human?" _Naruto asked, standing over him, his hot breath washing over Itachi's face.

Itachi didn't understand the series of growls, but tried to answer anyway. "I came to see if you're all right, Naruto-kun. "

A bead of saliva trickled out of the Kyuubi's mouth, falling onto Itachi's skin. _"Why do you care what happens to me?"_

The bitterness in Naruto's growl was all too clear to Itachi. He completely ignored the instinctive fear that threatened to make itself known within him. It was unimportant. The only thing that mattered right now was Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, please listen to me," Itachi began calmly. "I have never wanted to hurt you. What happened was just a misunderstanding -"

_"Liar!" _snarled Naruto. He grazed his one claw across the left side of Itachi's face, slicing through the skin easily and drawing blood. Itachi didn't cry out, only winced at the pain of having his flesh torn and feeling as warm blood streamed out. He was sure he was only seconds from having his throat torn out. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

But nothing happened.

As Naruto gazed down at the bloody face of his lover, he remembered the day he had decided he wanted Itachi as his mate. He recalled licking that very same blood off Itachi's skin before biting him, marking him. A few days later, he and Itachi had consummated their passion for the first time and began their relationship.

A soft whine escaped Naruto's throat at the memory, and his heart beat painfully in his chest. Itachi cracked open an eye at the sound and saw as Naruto withdrew from him. Itachi slowly sat up, watching as the Kyuubi began to pad away. At the edge of the clearing, he stopped, his tails dragging on the grass.

_"I've decided to let you keep your life. Killing you isn't worth it. Leave before I change my mind." _Naruto took a breath, exhaling from his nose._ "Go back to the others and don't come after me."_

Unaware of what Naruto said, Itachi struggled to his feet, determined to follow him. He failed to notice the bristling fur on Naruto's back.

When Naruto heard Itachi's steps behind him, he remained still, his lips curling into a silent snarl. He waited a few moments, trying to summon his resolve to attack once again. Hurting Itachi was getting more and more difficult by the second for him, but maybe if he tried again, Itachi would finally get the message and go away.

Itachi opened his mouth to call Naruto, but before any sound could come out, Naruto whipped around, and tackled Itachi, slamming his full weight into the dark haired man. Itachi crashed into a tree, feeling a sharp pain as one of his ribs broke on contact. Naruto jumped away, head lowered and tails fanned out in challenge.

The Uchiha drew in a labored breath, sliding down the trunk. His eyes fell on Naruto, widening as they took in the sight of the nine-tailed fox opening his jaws. A dense ball of swirling red chakra was forming, becoming larger and larger. Itachi knew what it meant; a chakra blast.

Without another thought, Itachi rolled away. A second later, the tree he had been propped up against was vaporized, leaving behind a smoking pile of wood. Several other trees in the vicinity were now scorched and blackened by Naruto's attack.

Naruto roared at Itachi before charging at him again and tackling him, knocking over into the earth. Itachi got off the ground shakily. Once he stood up, Naruto struck Itachi with his paw, breaking another three ribs in the process. Itachi gasped and clutched his side, his breaths becoming more irregular. A trickle of blood dripped out of his mouth. He wiped it off slowly, eyes fixed on Naruto.

The sight of Itachi so battered and bloody further weakened Naruto's resolve to attack. He was still upset about what he had seen earlier, which was why he was still fighting. Itachi, however, hadn't hit him once. In fact, he hadn't even tried to defend himself. Why?

A sparkle of vermillion chakra engulfed Naruto, returning him back to his human form. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded of the injured Itachi. "Why won't you fight back?"

"There is no reason to." Itachi replied simply, beginning to feel dizzy from blood loss.

"What?! We have every reason to fight!" Naruto snapped. "Are you forgetting you're part of the Akatsuki and I'm a demon? You're _supposed_ to fight me!"

"No."

Naruto rushed Itachi, punching him in the jaw. "Fight back!" he screamed, almost begging. He kicked the Uchiha half-heartedly in the shin, making Itachi stumble. The Uchiha said nothing, merely taking the attacks.

"Please," Naruto pleaded, sinking to his knees in front of Itachi. Tears gathered in his eyes and slid down his cheeks. "Fight back... please."

Itachi shook his head, "I cannot fight you, Naruto-kun."

"Why not? I'm beating the shit out of you and you're doing nothing!"

"I know, and I'm fine with that."

"Why?"

"I don't want to hurt you, Naruto-kun." Itachi said softly, his breath now coming in uneven intervals. "If you want to kill me, go ahead and do it."

Tear-filled eyes widened, "What?"

"You heard me. I will not fight back." Itachi's eyes were clouded over with pain, but they were still intently locked on Naruto's. "I refuse to hurt you because you are the only person in this world that I love."

Confusion appeared on Naruto's face, mixing with his distress. "W-what are you talking about, Itachi?"

"When we met, my whole life changed," Itachi said, fully aware that this might be his only chance to tell Naruto his true feelings. "The moment I saw you, nothing else existed... it was as though the only thing in the world was you." He smiled, remembering fondly. "Although I didn't quite realize at the time, that's when I first started to love you. As time progressed, I fell more and more in love with you, and no matter what happens, I know I will always love you. That is why I will not fight you. I love you too much to ever intentionally harm you."

Naruto gaped, not believing what he had just heard. He just stared at Itachi, unable to comprehend the depth of the Uchiha's feelings.

"I know this is a lot to take in at once," Itachi said, feeling light-headed. He sat in the grass, his blood drying on his skin and his ribs throbbing painfully. "But I just needed to tell you... I love you, Naruto-kun." His physical pain seemed insignificant compared to the feeling of happiness that came with telling Naruto how he felt. To him, he had just spoken the most wonderful phrase ever to the most wonderful person ever.

For several minutes, they remained silent, save for Itachi's labored breathing. Naruto didn't know how to react, his tears still falling slowly down his face. He just stared at Itachi, the man who had just declared his love for him. Minutes ago, Naruto had been attacking him mercilessly. And why had he been doing that? Because it appeared that Itachi had cheated on him with Deidara. Now, Naruto wasn't so sure about that anymore. Itachi didn't sound like he was lying...

Instincts warred within Naruto. As a demon, part of him felt like attacking, only because he himself was hurt by the supposed betrayal, but a far larger part of him felt nothing but affection for the demon hunter. He wasn't completely sure if he was in love too, but he knew he did not want to be without Itachi, and to Naruto, that's all that mattered.

His decision made, Naruto wiped away the wetness on his face before crawling towards the battered Itachi. He kissed him lightly on the lips, and nuzzled against him.

A faint smile adorned Itachi's face. He closed his eyes in contentment, reasoning that if he had to die, this was the best way to do it. All he needed to do now was to wait for Death to come for him...

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Bright moon light shone down on Itachi. He opened his eyes slowly, his sight bleary from sleep. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, surprised. He wasn't in any pain.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asked him.

Itachi stretched his limbs. Except for his skin and clothes being caked with patches of dried blood and stiffness over his ribcage, he felt great. "Fine," he answered slowly, bewildered. "Wasn't I all ripped up not too long ago?"

"You were, but not anymore," Naruto grinned broadly. "I fixed you right up. You're as good as gold now!"

A quizzical look graced Itachi's features, "How?"

"I'll show you." Naruto reached out and took one of Itachi's hands. He raked a sharp nail over the back of Itachi's hand, a line of red blooming on his skin. Naruto leaned down and licked the wound, cleaning off the blood. He closed his eyes and covered Itachi's hand with his own for a second before removing it. A glimmer of demon chakra danced on the Uchiha's skin before zipping across the scratch, healing it instantly.

"I didn't know you could do that," Itachi whispered in amazement.

"Yeah, it's a secret technique. One of my friends was an expert in healing techniques and she taught me how to do it."

Itachi blinked, surprised. "I wasn't aware that is was possible to heal anyone with demon chakra."

"Normally, it's not; demon chakra burns human skin," Naruto said. "But if you apply a layer of saliva, it protects from the skin from burning while still keeping its healing abilities. That's how I was able to heal you, broken bones and everything."

Itachi nodded, taking this in. It was an interesting piece of information, but he wondered if there would be any side effects for a human receiving a chakra infusion from a demon...

"Itachi? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine. Just thinking about something."

Naruto didn't press further. Instead, he kissed Itachi on the mouth before smiling at him. "Well, I'm glad you're okay."

This caught Itachi's attention. He met Naruto's eyes, "Does this mean you and I are... all right?"

A slight frown appeared on Naruto's face as he pondered over the question presented to him. He flicked his eyes over Itachi, who looked as impassive as ever. There was, however, tension visible in the set of his shoulders, indicating how anxious he was to hear Naruto's answer.

"We're all right." Naruto said finally, ending the suspense.

Itachi let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "You don't know how relieved I am to hear that."

Naruto folded his arms, "But I still want to know _exactly why _you were kissing Deidara."

Itachi understood and immediately began to explain what happened. With clear distaste evident in his tone, he told the Kyuubi about Pein's plot and how he had recruited Konan and Deidara. He recounted Konan's half-hearted attempt to follow orders and her warning about Deidara, brought on by her obvious guilt. Itachi explained how Deidara had been immensely annoying him, and that is the only reason why he had kissed him at all, being sure to add he hadn't been expecting Deidara's surprise squeeze to his backside or the attack to his mouth. All the while, Naruto watched him intently, and felt no suspicion or doubt about Itachi's explanation.

Once Itachi had finished, he gave Naruto a few minutes to mentally digest this information before inquiring about something he wanted to know about. "Naruto-kun, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"When you saw Deidara and me together, why did you get so angry?"

"I had a really, _really_ bad day," replied Naruto, remembering the stolen villagers and Yoji's death.

"And?" Itachi prompted, aware there was more he had to say.

"Well, I just..." Naruto lowered his head, a blush forming on his cheeks. "I know I overreacted, but I couldn't stand the idea of seeing you with anyone else. My natural instincts went into overdrive and I just... _snapped_, I guess." He looked at the Uchiha, guilt evident in his blue eyes. "Itachi, I'm so sorry I hurt you."

Itachi didn't reply immediately. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Naruto, holding him close. "It's okay, Naruto-kun. I'm fine now, and you're with me. That's all I need."

"But what about the Akatsuki?" Naruto murmured, his face buried into Itachi's chest.

"I don't want to go back."

Naruto pulled away, eyes wide. "Really?"

Itachi shook his head, "Not after what happened."

"But where will we go?"

And that was the problem. Itachi did want to leave with Naruto, but where would they go? They had no money or anything, and Itachi's clothes were torn and caked with blood and dirt and it was starting to make him itch. And even if they were able to ignore these things, there was also the fact that it would seem as though Itachi had simply run away from everything. His friends, his comrades, and the life he had known for the past seven years.

"I don't think you should go," Naruto said softly. "At least, not yet. You still have ties to the Akatsuki. They were your family, and you shouldn't leave them without saying goodbye. It just wouldn't be right, you know?"

Itachi nodded solemnly. "I know, but it will be difficult.''

"Yeah, but worth it, I think. You'll probably be happier in the long run."

"I guess..."

"Trust me, you will. Besides," a mischievous grin appeared on Naruto's face, making him look like the trickster demon fox he was thought to be, "we still need to get back at Pein for what he tried to do."

"If you want, I'll kick his ass and let you watch." Itachi offered, a sight smirk on his lips.

Naruto laughed and then shook his head. "No. I had something else in mind."

"We kick his ass together?"

"Not exactly. We need to show him that his plan didn't work and we're still together, even after everything that happened." Naruto said, "It needs to be something that undermines his authority, too."

Itachi was intrigued, "What are you planning, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto stood up, brushing dirt and bits of grass of his pants. He grinned mischievously once again and extended a hand to help Itachi stand, "You'll find out soon enough, Itachi."

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Before dawn, Naruto and Itachi returned to the Akatsuki's base. As expected, no one was there to greet them. Itachi was sure that somebody had to be awake or at least sensed their presence, but nobody said anything. He was glad, though. He didn't feel like giving an explanation of what happened and why he wasn't dead in the forest somewhere.

The two of them went to Itachi's room, giving him the chance to get out of his dirty clothes. While he changed and got cleaned up, Itachi had asked Naruto once more to explain his plans for getting back at Pein. Naruto, of course, had no intention of spoiling his surprise, leaving Itachi to continue guessing.

Once Itachi had finished his ablutions, Naruto was eager to put his plan in effect. He grabbed Itachi's hand and led the way, sniffing his way through the corridors to find the place they needed to be. The twisting hallways were tricky to navigate, but with the Kyuubi's keen sense of smell, he was able to find the room he was looking for.

"Here we are!" Naruto gestured to the heavy, locked door in front of them.

Itachi's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He knew this room. "Why are we outside Pein's study?"

"You'll see. Do you know how to unlock the door?"

Itachi nodded before he proceeded to find the hidden key in the wall. He removed the old key and slid it in the lock. The lock clicked open and the door swung inwards on well-oiled hinges.

Naruto entered, dragging Itachi after him before closing the door. His eyes fell on the large wooden desk in the study and he grinned. _Perfect, _he thought.

Itachi noticed the look, "Naruto-kun, why are you grinning like that?"

"No reason." Naruto replied with false innocence. He strode across the room and sat on the desk, checking how sturdy it was. It was an expensive, quality piece of furniture, well-made from the finest oak available and polished to a glossy shine with a special varnish. It also seemed like it was strong and could take a lot of punishment, if necessary.

"Naruto-kun?" Itachi folded his arms. "An explanation, please."

"Oh, okay," Naruto eagerly agreed. "Well, I noticed that when humans get mad at each other, they usually yell and cuss at each other until one gives up. Demons don't do that. We prefer a more _physical _approach for getting back at each other."

"What do you mean?"

"It's kind of hard to explain," Naruto admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He sighed, but soon his eyes brightened as though getting a great idea. "I know!"

"Do tell."

"All right," Naruto began earnestly. "When I was little, there was this little old lady who used to live near me named Haru. She was an owl demon and spent a lot of time in the forest hunting birds, like pheasants and wild turkeys. When Haru would catch one, she'd remove the feathers, clean, and cook the birds, usually stuffing the meat into a fried pocket of dough. Every Saturday, she'd sell them to the other demons that lived in our village. They were pretty good, so nobody minded paying for them." He frowned slightly, remembering, "Except for a lazy bat demon named Enishi. He would steal them from her, but Haru never screamed at him or anything, even though she knew what was going on.

"Anyway, one day Enishi stole one as usual. He bit into it, expecting something good, but instead got a mouthful of something gross."

"What was it?"

"Owl pellets," Naruto answered him. "Basically, regurgitated chunks of whatever Haru's body did not digest from her food, like clumps of bones and fur from the mice she sometimes ate."

Itachi grimaced, "And Enishi ate these... pellets?"

Naruto nodded, "Yup. After that, he never stole from Haru again. That was her way of getting back at him without saying a word."

There was a silence before Itachi asked, "Does this mean you're planning to vomit on Pein's desk?"

Hearing this, Naruto laughed, "No. That would be really gross, and you're missing the point of the story."

"Which would be...?"

"That demons solve their disputes with actions, not words. For example, Haru knew that Enishi liked to steal and eat the food she made so she intentionally sabotaged one just for him. She ruined something he liked to make her point about what happens if you steal from her."

"Then what point are we trying to make here?" Itachi gestured to the room they were in.

Naruto got off the desk and strode up to the Uchiha, a seductive smile on his face. "That we're still together, and nothing Pein says or does can change that." With that, Naruto kissed Itachi, his lips gentle and teasing. "Besides, I think he owes us a little fun for the hell he put us through. His desk should do nicely..."

"Definitely," Itachi agreed, at last understanding what Naruto wanted. Itachi kissed Naruto's mouth before his lips traveled down to the demon's neck, gently grazing his teeth across the skin.

The Kyuubi moaned softly at the contact, "You better get those clothes off before I tear them off you."

"How very demanding of you, Naruto-kun." Itachi commented, both amused and very turned on by his lover. Naruto didn't usually say such things to him. It was an interesting change of pace.

"I'm not demanding." Naruto grinned as he unbuttoned Itachi's cloak, "I just know what I want."

"Which would be?"

"You, Itachi."

_**LEMON WARNING**_

Itachi shrugged off his cloak and removed his shirt. He gently pushed Naruto a few steps back until he reached the edge of the desk. Naruto sat down on it and Itachi kissed him, standing between his open, but clothed legs.

With practiced ease, their mouths melded together, lips moving in perfect harmony. Itachi's tongue slid around Naruto's, tasting the demon's familiar flavor and exploring the wet cavern. He'd done it so many times already but each time felt like a unique, one of a kind experience. It was something that he would never tire of.

A low moan escaped Naruto's mouth when Itachi pulled away, panting lightly and fingers pulling at the demon's clothing. Naruto felt his jacket and shirt gently tugged off his skin before Itachi's lips were on the left side of his neck, gently kissing him. When Itachi reached the base of his neck, he began sucking at the skin, right over the bite scar he had given Naruto the first time they had made love. It was a sensitive area and Naruto cried out when Itachi bit down, almost deep enough to draw blood. It hurt, but Naruto liked it. He, like so many other demons, enjoyed a bit of pain with his pleasure.

Skillfully, Itachi brought his hands lower and unzipped Naruto's pants, being sure to stroke the hardened arousal beneath the cloth. Naruto groaned softly at the contact and wriggled on the desk he was seated on, helping Itachi remove his pants and boxers. Itachi slid them off easily, dropping them on the floor and leaving his lover naked. He resumed his self-appointed task of marking Naruto's smooth tan neck with hickies, alternately sucking and licking the skin.

Itachi moved lower, trailing kisses and gentle nips along Naruto's chest and abdomen until he was almost kneeling before him, his head between Naruto's splayed thighs. Itachi placed his hands firmly on the blond's hips and glanced up at Naruto, a playful smirk on his lips. A deep blush formed on Naruto's cheeks at the sight. He knew what it meant and it only served to add to his all-too-obvious arousal.

That was all the invitation Itachi needed. He leaned forward, opening his mouth and engulfed the head of Naruto's throbbing erection within it. Naruto moaned loudly, tangling his fingers in the Uchiha's long dark hair as pleasure coursed through his body. Itachi sucked hard, almost greedily at him, bringing him close to climax in only a few short minutes.

"Ah...ah... Itachi!" Naruto cried as he came in Itachi's mouth. Itachi swallowed the demon's seed and licked the tip clean before starting again, taking the semi-hard flesh in his mouth and sucking it until it regained its previously rigid state. Suddenly, Itachi stopped and stood up, taking in Naruto's appearance.

Naruto's breath came in ragged bursts, his blue eyes glazed over with lust as he regarded Itachi. He was propped up on his elbows; his skin was slick with sweat and his legs open, fully exposing his arousal. In short, he looked incredibly wanton, and to Itachi, just begging to be pounded into the desk.

"What are you waiting for?" Naruto breathed, seemingly reading the other man's thoughts.

Itachi simply smirked in reply and removed his own pants and underwear, stepping out of them and kicking them off to the side. He pulled Naruto's hips closer to his, lining up the blond's entrance with his own throbbing erection. Itachi hooked his arms underneath Naruto's bent knees, slightly lifting him off the varnished wood. Without any more delay, he plunged his hardened flesh deep inside of Naruto's body, not stifling his own groan of pleasure at the contact.

Naruto's voice echoed loudly in the room as Itachi repeatedly thrust inside of him, establishing a regular rhythm. Naruto gripped the edge of the desk to keep himself still, nails digging into the wood. His body ached, but it was a small price to pay for the incredible feeling that each movement brought. His thoughts strayed from any discomfort and focused on other things. The waves of pleasure coursing through his whole body, the closeness of their bond, and the fiery intensity of his love for Itachi occupied Naruto's mind.

He could feel his insides contract around the Uchiha's hard member before Itachi groaned again and released his seed in Naruto, panting. At the feeling, Naruto came too, the pearly liquid squirting out on Itachi's chest. The Uchiha lowered Naruto's legs back onto the desk, and leaned forward, kissing Naruto gently.

"I love you, Naruto-kun." Itachi said, leaning his forehead on the blond's, their bodies still connected.

"I love you, too, Itachi." Naruto whispered, his blue eyes firmly locked onto dark ones. At this moment, he felt amazing, replete, and more satisfied than ever before.

Itachi smiled down at Naruto and kissed him again before finally pulling out. After, Naruto felt strangely empty, but dismissed it. Itachi helped him off the desk and the two of them settled on the plush carpeting of Pein's study. Itachi lay down and Naruto joined him, laying his head on the Uchiha's chest before pulling the nearby Akatsuki cloak over them both. Within minutes, they fell asleep together, the world around them forgotten.

_**END OF LEMON**_

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At nine in the morning, Pein frowned. He was in front of his study and the door was locked. Not only that, but the key was gone too. Without the only key, he couldn't enter. He sighed loudly and knocked on the door, not knowing what to expect.

After several minutes of delay, the door opened a fraction of the way. Pein's striped eyes widened when Itachi appeared at the threshold.

"What do you want?" Itachi asked him, sounding slightly annoyed. Not only that, but the Uchiha wasn't wearing a shirt, revealing that his light skin was marked with fresh hickies around his collarbone.

Pein hesitated, not sure what to make of the sight before him, "I was just... going to get some work done."

"Hn... hold on a minute." Itachi closed the door and retreated inside. Pein simply waited, not knowing what else to do.

Finally, Itachi reappeared, fully dressed with Naruto by his side. Naruto regarded Pein somewhat warily, but said nothing.

Itachi reached into his sleeve and withdrew the key. He passed it to the leader of Akatsuki. "It's all yours now. Excuse us." Itachi said, grabbing the Kyuubi's hand. With that, the lovers strode away through the hallways. Pein watched them as they gained distance. His keen eyes didn't fail to spot Naruto's slight limp as he walked.

Pein blinked, staring at the key in his hand as though it weren't quite real. When he recovered, he pushed open the door to his study and walked in. Immediately, he sensed something was amiss.

Taking careful steps, he padded up to his favorite (and very expensive) desk. The once-flawless surface now had deep scratches, especially on the edges. They looked as though they were caused by someone tightly gripping the desk. Not only were there scratches, the varnish was damaged as well. Handprints were visible on the wooden surface and what appeared to be a faint impression of somebody's back and buttocks further marred it. But what really troubled Pein was what appeared to be a whitish fluid that had dried on the edge of the desk...

Realization hit Pein like a charging bull. He staggered back, eyes bugged out of his head.

_Itachi and the Kyuubi...they must have had... _Pein could not bring himself to finish the thought. All he knew was that his wonderful private study was now _tainted_.

A mournful sigh escaped his lips as he cast his gaze around the room he had once seen as his sanctuary. He grabbed the ladder that leaned against the wall and climbed it, grabbing various books off the shelves and dropping them into an empty box. He took only the important ones and any others that he thought may prove useful.

Once he was finished gathering everything he needed, Pein took one more long look at his study.

After today, it just would never be the same. It was now... _tainted_.


	11. Visitors

Author's note: Hello. Well, chapter 11 is finally here, and it's a long one, which is my way of trying to apologize for the long wait between updates. Before we begin, please allow me to get a few things out of the way. First and foremost, let me express my gratitude to all the readers who added this story to alerts and/or favorites, and the wonderful reviewers. THANK YOU SOO MUCH! You guys don't know how much your support means to me, so this I why I always start my author's notes with words of gratitude in case anyone was wondering.

Now then, let me say a few words about this chapter. Normally I just provide warnings and the like, but I actually want to comment on this chapter itself. This one is quite dialogue heavy. There are two reasons why I did this. One, I wanted to give the reader a bit of a breather after all the excitement of the last two chapters. Anyone who has read them knows what I'm talking about. Two, this chapter is the start of what is to come in this story, and once you finish reading it, I think you'll know what I mean.

Anyway, it's time to get this show on the road! And don't forget to read and review, please!

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto and I don't. However, I do own several Chihuahua dogs.

**_WARNING:_**_ This chapter contains a smidgen of violence, cursing, yaoi and a bit of humiliation at someone else's expense. Reader discretion is advised…_

11. Visitors

They ran together, their sleek coats of fur reflecting the shadow-dappled noon sunlight as it streamed through the treetops of the forest. Of the two animal demons, the female's fur was most noticeable. It was a mostly a bright pink shade with dark gray spots all over her body and white underbelly. She was a leopard demon, as graceful as she was powerful. Her bright green eyes flicked over to her companion.

_"Are you sure this is the right way?" _She asked in the language of demons.

The silver coyote running by her side answered, the slanted dark blue headband he always wore covering one eye, _"Yes. We should be there soon. When you hear the waterfall, then we're close."  
><em>  
>"<em>OK."<em> The leopardess tried to sound relaxed, but her tone revealed her anxiety.

_"It'll be fine,"_ the coyote said, trying to reassure his former student. _"After all, it _is_ Naruto we're talking about. He wouldn't have let something happen to him."  
><em>

_"I know, but with the Akatsuki being involved, things will be much harder..."  
><em>

_"Perhaps, but it won't be anything we can't handle,"_ he spoke confidently, not allowing his own worry to show itself. He already knew it would be difficult but she didn't need to hear it aloud. Besides, she was a smart girl. He was sure she had already figured out that they might be running towards the fight of their lives.

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"... and that's basically what happened." Kakuzu said, finishing his account of what had occurred in Kusa village. He and Hidan were seated at the stone table in the meeting room along with Pein, who had listened intently throughout.

Kakuzu glanced at Hidan, who was face-down on the table. "Is there anything you want to add, Hidan?"

"Yes. When can I leave?" He picked up his head and scowled at his partner. Hidan didn't like recounting missions and didn't see the need for him to be here too.

"Is that all, Hidan?" Pein asked him.

"No." Hidan cast his gaze across the surface of the table. Normally, it was spotless, but today was a different story. It was littered with notebooks, pens, open books, and various office supplies. "Why do you have all your shit on the table? Don't you have an office or something?"

"Yes, and I used to refer to it as my 'study', not 'office'." Pein said.

"What-fucking-ever," Hidan rolled his eyes. He didn't see the difference between the words. "So, why are you here and not there?"

Pein sighed, remembering the tainted room. "That is none of your business."

"Oh, come on! Don't be such a bitch, Leader. Tell us!"

Pein pinched the bridge of his pierced nose, trying to keep calm. "If I tell you, you will drop the subject and never bring it up again, understand?"

Hidan shrugged, "I guess." He wasn't making any promises.

"Something rather disturbing happened in there."

"Disturbing how?" Kakuzu inquired, now curious.

To the partners' surprise, their leader began to look visibly uncomfortable. It was the first time either had ever seen that occurrence. "There was some damage to the desk after Itachi and the Kyuubi... borrowed it."

There was a silence as this information set in. Hidan blinked, "Are you saying that Itachi fucked Naruto on your desk?"

Pein lowered his head, but didn't speak.

Kakuzu and Hidan exchanged a look before bringing their focus back to Pein, who wouldn't meet their eyes. The corner of Hidan's mouth twitched slightly and he covered his mouth with his hands. But it was no use. A small chuckle escaped, followed by another. And another. Within seconds his loud laughter echoed through the room. He laughed so hard that he fell off his chair and lay on the floor, holding his stomach. "Hahaha! That shit is fucking hilarious!"

Humiliation flashed across Pein's face for an instant but he remained silent as he listened to Hidan's sudden outburst of mirth at his expense. Kakuzu found what happened amusing as well, but unlike Hidan, he wasn't the type of person to be rolling on the floor laughing out loud. Instead, he cleared his throat and spoke, "I'm sorry, Leader-sama. I know how fond you were of that desk."

"Thank you, Kakuzu." Pein replied, still not meeting the eyes of his subordinate. He decided to change the subject. "Is that all you needed to tell me regarding the information given to you by the imp?"

"Yes. I've told you exactly what we were told."

Pein nodded. "Good. I will begin cataloguing this information as well as deciding what must be done about it." He glanced at Hidan, who was now climbing back into his chair, his last few chuckles subsiding. "You are both excused now. Please leave me to my work."

Kakuzu stood and bowed to the man before leaving with out another word.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Leader." Hidan said, backing up from the table and leaving the room. He strode down the hallways, heading for Itachi's room. Just as he arrived, Itachi opened the door, on his way out.

Noticing Hidan's mischievous smirk, Itachi regarded him somewhat warily. "Why are you grinning at me like an idiot, Hidan?"

"I just heard about the fun you and Naruto had on Leader's desk..."

"What about it?" Dark eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're a fucking genius!"

Itachi just blinked, "What?"

Hidan's grin widened, "You're the man, Itachi! I have never seen Pein so weird and embarrassed and all that shit! I've tried so many different things... insults, taunts, you name it, I've probably done it to piss Pein off, but you found his greatest weakness," he bowed to Itachi, "You're my hero!"

"Thanks... I guess." The Uchiha did not understand Hidan's praise, but also didn't see the need to question the other man further.

"You're welcome. Just keep up the good fucking work!" Hidan punched Itachi playfully on the arm before leaving. Itachi merely watched him, wondering if the expletive had a double meaning.

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Outside, Naruto narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the paper target pinned to the tree. He twirled a kunai in his right hand for several revolutions before he launched the weapon at the target. The kunai flew forward and lodged itself about a few inches to the right of the center of the target. Naruto frowned at the sight.

"Not bad, Naruto-kun, but you're a little off center."

Naruto turned around, grinning at the sight of Itachi, "Why don't you show me how it's done?" He offered a kunai to his lover.

"I'd love to," Itachi accepted the throwing knife and took a few steps back. With no apparent effort and an easy flick of his wrist, he sent the kunai flying towards the center of the target. It hit dead-on. Itachi smirked, "See? Easy."

Naruto blinked, "How did you do that?"

"Lots of practice."

"Obviously. Can you hit any target?"

Itachi thought about it before replying, "Probably."

"All right, then. Let's see," Naruto strode away from the Uchiha and stood in front of the tree. He pulled out the two kunai from it and leaned back against the bark before he grinned mischievously, "See if you can pin my jacket to the tree without cutting me. If you do, then you really can hit anything."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, amused, "And what do I get if I succeed?"

"Whatever you want," Naruto purred.

"Then I accept your challenge, Naruto-kun."

Itachi reached out and took the kunai from Naruto, who raised his arms slightly and waited. The Kyuubi wasn't really sure why he was doing this, but it was likely because he was bored. Since his and Itachi's return to the Akatsuki, the two of them no longer received missions to do. They spent a bulk of their time with each other, and although it was nice, Naruto still wanted to do something interesting. And to him, nothing was more interesting than a dash of danger to a normally mundane training session.

As for Itachi, he already knew beyond a doubt that no harm would come to Naruto. He had trained with throwing knives for years and was beyond excellent. His aim was simply perfect and had been for quite some time.

Naruto waited as Itachi lined up his shot, his dark eyes narrowed slightly in concentration. Itachi took a breath and exhaled, flicking his wrist and sending the kunai flying right at Naruto. The Kyuubi closed his eyes involuntarily and heard a thump, followed by a faint pinch as the kunai pierced the orange cloth and firmly stuck itself into the tree, completely avoiding his skin.

Blue eyes opened, revealing amazement. He was about to compliment Itachi on his incredible skill, but before the words could come out, another series of kunai flew at him, all connecting solidly with the tree. Naruto counted five more thumps and could feel as his jacket was pulled tautly against his body as he was successfully pinned to the tree without a scratch.

Itachi smirked, "How was that?"

"Amazing!" Naruto cheered, "I've never seen anything like that before. You're incredible!"

"Incredible, huh? Isn't that what you told me last night?"

Naruto blushed faintly at the memory, "Well, yeah, but I'm talking about this now."

"I know. I just like to see you blush," Itachi smiled and approached Naruto, studying the trapped demon. Each of Naruto's loose sleeves was pinned once at the outside of his shoulder. Four more kunai were in two neat pairs at his ribcage, one set beneath his arms and the other at his waist, securely holding him in place. "Can you move, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto struggled, "Kind of. Where did you get the four other kunai, anyway? I just gave you two?"

"I had the other four in my pocket," Itachi replied, invading Naruto's personal space. "You know, Naruto-kun, you look good pinned down like that..."

"Yeah? And what are you going to do about it?" Naruto asked, a challenge in his eyes.

"Wait and see," Itachi leaned forward and kissed the trapped fox demon.

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Hidden in a thick clump of ferns, a pair of green eyes widened at the scene in front of them, unsure of what to do or even think about what was going on. Next to the green-eyed leopardess, the coyote blinked his single visible eye, very confused. As one, both demons looked at each other and shared the same sentiment, _What the fuck is going on here?!_

One minute they were target-practicing with the tree, the next, Naruto was being used for said practice, and now, the Akatsuki member was making out with him... Why in the name of all that was demonic was this happening?! Why was Naruto, the strongest tailed-beast there was, letting a human demon hunter kiss and touch him like that?! Had he gone crazy?!

With an unusual degree of difficulty, the leopardess spoke softly, _"W-what do we d-do now?"_

The coyote blinked away his shock, remembering their mission objective, _"Let's do what we came here for. We need to."_

_"Right,"_ the leopardess agreed, getting into her battle stance. The coyote did the same. Their eyes met and they nodded, knowing what needed to happen next.

Together, they mentally counted down.

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

_Now!_

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Itachi sensed the attack before he saw it. He pulled away from Naruto abruptly just as two large animal demons swiftly advanced toward him, savage snarls fixed on their faces.

The pink leopardess roared, _"Get away from Naruto!" _

_"Right now!"_ the coyote howled angrily by her side.

Itachi didn't waste any time in dodging their sudden assault. He performed a back flip to evade the claws of the leopardess. Her razor-claws ripped deep furrows into the earth, hinting at her strength. The coyote lunged forward after her, his gleaming fangs slicing off the end portion of Itachi's cloak. The coyote spit out the fabric and anger blazed in his eye when he realized he didn't get his target.

Adrenaline pumped through Itachi's veins like molten steel. He had nearly been caught! These demons meant business! Strategies for fighting the pair flitted through Itachi's mind. It was obvious that the two knew how to battle as a team. Perhaps if he could take them out individually, he might win. But how? That was the real question.

As one, the two demons approached Itachi menacingly. For each step they took, Itachi took one backward, trying to distance himself from the pair. Although Itachi knew to never take his eyes off his opponents, just for a second, he glanced over at Naruto, checking to see if he had been attacked. But Naruto hadn't. Instead, he just stared open-mouthed at the two demons, as if in shock.

"Sakura-chan? Kakashi-sensei? Is that you?" Naruto asked in disbelief, still pinned to the tree.

Upon hearing the names, both demons whipped their heads around, looking at Naruto.

"It _is_ you guys!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, but then he snapped, "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why are you attacking Itachi?!"

Without waiting for an answer, Naruto's blue eyes glowed crimson. His teeth elongated into sharp points and an oppressive chakra filled the air as he began to transform into his fox form. His demon energy burned through the tree and the kunai that held him in place fell to the earth. Once free, Naruto flew forward and landed on all four paws, all nine golden tails raised in challenge.

He snarled, _"If you want to get at him, you will have to go through me first!"_

The two demons eyed him warily, but didn't leave. They couldn't. Not without Naruto.

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Inside the Akatsuki's base, everyone was unaware of the fight brewing outside. Pein especially was oblivious. He was deeply absorbed in plotting what to do about Orochimaru's army and the world around him had simply ceased to exist. After all, it's not every day you find out that there's a homicidal demon capturing entire villages to fuel a blood-thirsty demonic army that would kill and destroy everything in sight if given the chance.

Due to his intense focus, Pein didn't sense the peculiar, but darkly familiar chakra that approached the door to his make-shift office. If he had been paying attention, he would have been prepared for the ensuing argument, for there was always a conflict with this particular individual.

The door knob turned, allowing the door to glide open soundlessly. Silent feet padded up to the chair directly across the stone table from Pein, who had his head down as he furiously scrawled in one of his notebooks.

The hooded visitor watched him for some moments, not saying or doing anything, but was still extremely irked to see the supposed 'leader' of the Akatsuki ignoring him. The visitor flexed his gloved fingers into fists and focused his chakra, flaring it outward around him, creating a strangely ominous force.

The pressure in the air increased dramatically in a few seconds and Pein felt it. He finally looked up, and gasped, "Madara-sama, what are you doing here?"

The newcomer called Madara pulled down his hood, revealing an odd orange mask with only one eye hole and spirals etched in its surface. When he spoke, his voice was deep and coldly confident, "You are not to address me by name, understand? I am your superior, as I have always been. Call me what I really am."

Pein stood quickly, his chair scraping loudly against the marble floor. "Yes, of course, Leader-sama." He bowed, sounding more than a little flustered, "I'm very sorry to have disrespected you in such an impertinent way. I should have known better."

Madara nodded, "Yes, you should have."

"Leader-sama, what are you doing here?" Pein asked again.

"That's such an excellent question," Madara said lightly, mocking Pein, who flushed and lowered his head. Suddenly, Madara slammed a gloved fist onto the table, sending a spider web of cracks running through the smooth stone, "I'm here to fix the mistakes of a failure that has the nerve to say that he's the leader of Akatsuki when really he's just an inept, cowardly orphan who pretends he knows what to do!"

Pein flinched, "I'm sorry, Leader-sama. I've tried my best..."

"Your best?!" Madara raged, "You call that your best?! I gave you two simple tasks to accomplish; lead the Akatsuki in my place and capture the tailed beasts. But no, you couldn't do either! You're as incompetent as ever!"

"I have led the Akatsuki to the best of my ability," Pein said weakly as he tried to defend himself. "The tailed beasts have proven to be more... resilient than I thought they would be."

"Of course they're resilient! Any idiot could have told you that!" Madara snorted in contempt, "After hearing your pathetic excuses for your chronic stupidity, I see why nothing ever gets done around here. You don't know how to handle the responsibility of leadership. Furthermore, I –"

The sound of gentle knocking interrupted Madara mid-rant. He glared at the door and ordered Pein to open it. Pein did so, allowing a small smile to appear on his face at the sight of Konan standing there. She would be able to help him. She always did.

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Outside, Naruto's eyes were locked onto the two demons as he stood in front of Itachi. His lips were pulled back, exposing all his sharp fangs.

The leopardess could feel her resolve to fight weakening as she gazed at Naruto. In her mind, she saw flashbacks of Naruto and her as they grew up together in the Land of Whirlpools. She remembered his constant kindness to her and his perpetually upbeat demeanor. _Why are we fighting now?_ She thought desperately, _Does this really need to happen?_

As if hearing her thoughts, the coyote relaxed his face and sat down. His bristling silver fur lowered slowly as he calmly spoke to the Kyuubi, _"Naruto, we don't have to fight. Let's talk this out."_

Naruto's golden ears twitched, _"Then let's talk, but you and Sakura-chan transform first. I want Itachi to understand what we're saying."_

_"Fair enough,"_ the coyote demon, Kakashi Hatake, said. He found it odd how Naruto referred to the human by name, but dismissed it. He was sure he'd find out the answer soon enough. _"Sakura, you know what to do."_

Sakura Haruno nodded once and the leopardess demon transformed in a flurry of pink chakra. Kakashi did the same, and in a blur of silvery-blue chakra, transformed. Satisfied, Naruto followed suit.

Itachi merely blinked at the sight before him, barely able to comprehend it. He brought his gaze from Naruto, then to a man with silver hair wearing a dark blue headband that covered his left eye and a mask that concealed half his face, and a teenage girl with shoulder-length pink hair and bright green eyes. Both demons wore green flak jackets with red spirals on the back, identifying them as being from the Land of Whirlpools. In their human forms, they looked a lot less threatening than they did before, but from the way their eyes were fixed on him, Itachi could tell they weren't going to be any friendlier to him.

"That's better," Naruto said, pleased. "Now, go ahead and tell us why you two are here."

"The Land of Whirlpools is in crisis, as are all the demon lands," Kakashi said. "And we need our king to lead us."

"We're here to bring you back, Naruto." Sakura added softly.

Naruto's eyes widened, but it was obvious he did know what they meant by "our king".

Itachi, however, was tired of not understanding any of what was going on, "What are you talking about? What king? And who are you? How is it that you know Naruto-kun? Why were you attacking us and what made you stop? What the hell is going on?"

"We could ask you the same thing, human." Kakashi growled, referencing the last question. "You're clearly Akatsuki, yet here you are with Naruto, the Kyuubi. Why are you keeping him here against his will? Isn't it your supposed 'noble duty' to kill him?"

"Stop it, Kakashi-sensei. Don't pick a fight with Itachi." Naruto frowned at the other male demon that had begun glaring at Itachi. The Uchiha simply glared right back.

"Naruto, please just tell us what's going on." Sakura said, trying to diffuse the potentially explosive situation. She spoke hesitatingly, "Who is this human and what is his connection to you?"

Naruto grinned, happy to answer his friend's question. "His name is Itachi Uchiha, and although he is a member of the Akatsuki, he is also my mate."

Sakura and Kakashi exchanged a look of incredulity, "Your _what_?!"

"My mate," repeated Naruto proudly. He trotted up to Itachi and pecked him on the lips, earning a smile from Itachi. Naruto pulled down the collar of his jacket and shirt, revealing a bite-mark shaped scar on the left side of the base of his neck. He nudged Itachi, who nodded in understanding and unbuttoned his cloak enough to show off the bite-mark he had as well.

"See?" Naruto asked them. "It's official. We've already marked each other."

"I do see, but I'm still having a hard time believing it." Kakashi replied. Next to him, Sakura just stared. She didn't want to believe it herself. Sakura had always thought that one day she and Naruto would become mates. Growing up, he had always had a huge crush on her and would ask her on a date every chance he had. Although Sakura had said no most of the time, she had still thought that, ultimately, they would be together eventually. Seeing the markings on Naruto had completely shattered that idea.

"Why do you seem so shocked?" Itachi asked the gaping demons. "Is it because we're both males?"

"Of course not!" Kakashi replied, offended at the suggestion. "We demons aren't as close-minded as some of the humans are. Gender doesn't matter to our kind. The only thing that I don't understand is why. You're a human and Naruto is a demon. You're supposed to hunt us, and instead you've selected a mate who I'm sure is at the top of the hunted list. Can you blame us for our surprise?"

"Since you've explained it like that... no, I can't say I blame you." Itachi brought his gaze from Kakashi to Sakura. The girl just stared at him, a peculiar expression on her face. Itachi wasn't sure what to make of it, so he changed the subject, "Who are you two and why are you here?"

"My name is Kakashi Hatake and I am Naruto's first sensei," he said before gesturing to his companion, "and this is Sakura Haruno, a student of mine and a close friend of Naruto's. We are from the Land of Whirlpools, here for what we what originally thought was a rescue mission to save Naruto Uzumaki from the clutches of the dreaded Akatsuki," he explained, flicking his eye back to Naruto, who looked a bit sheepish. "Naruto, I'm guessing you didn't tell your mate who you really are yet, so do it now."

"But Kakashi-sensei!"

"No buts, Naruto." Kakashi said sternly. "Tell him. It's important to our people."  
>Itachi put a reassuring hand on the blond's shoulder, "It's all right, Naruto-kun. You know you can tell me anything and it won't change how I feel about you."<p>

Sakura merely watched as Naruto grinned, confidence restored. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth as she heard her friend speak. "Well, Itachi, you already know I'm the Kyuubi, but I'm also the king of all the demons in the Land of Whirlpools."

"Actually," Kakashi interjected, "you're technically the rightful king of _all_ the demons and _all _the humans."

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"Hello, Pein-sama," Konan greeted the orange-haired man, immediately noticing how uneasy he appeared to be. She stepped into the meeting room and closed the door behind her. Her amber eyes quickly found the cause of his distress.

Addressing the masked man, she bowed, "Leader-sama, how lovely to see you here."

Madara's tone changed while speaking to the woman, "Konan, what a pleasant surprise!" he said brightly, his earlier anger seeming to have disappeared entirely, "At last I can speak to another intelligent human being!"

Upon hearing the indirect insult, Pein merely sighed. He couldn't talk back to this man. He simply had no choice but to endure Madara's snide comments and remarks. And besides, it's not as if this was the first time this happened. Having had dealt with Madara since he was fourteen years old, Pein had lots of practice.

But for Konan, it was always different. Madara never seemed to yell at her or get terribly angry. And for that, Pein was thankful. He'd rather be the one to bear the burden of Madara's malice than have her do it.

Keeping her tone as respectful as possible, Konan spoke, "Leader-sama, although it's always nice to see you, how did you manage to get here without attracting anyone else's attention?"

"I used my usual method," Madara replied smoothly. To demonstrate, he made a series of swift hand signs before disappearing in a dark blur. He reappeared right behind Konan, close enough to make her feel uncomfortable, "See?" He asked. "All I need to do is think about it and I can teleport anywhere I want to be. In this particular visit, I thought about the main hallway and now here I am paying a visit to my darling Konan and her incompetent friend."

Konan drew away, nearing Pein. "Don't speak about Pein-sama like that, Leader-sama. He is most certainly not incompetent. In fact, he is very capable and determined, and has led the Akatsuki well."

"Pein-sama?" Madara repeated, completing ignoring Konan's supportive words about the other man. He looked at Pein, "Is that what you call yourself now?"

Pein lowered his eyes, "Yes."

"Why? Your real name wasn't good enough for you anymore?" Madara questioned with his usual sharpness. "Yahiko... that's what you introduced yourself as when I rescued you and

Konan from that orphanage when you were fourteen, all those many years ago. "

Memory flooded both Konan and Pein's mind at the thought. They both could never forget that day. A day that changed their young lives forever...

Theirs and a young, timid boy's known as Nagato...

Pein pushed aside his memories, focusing on the masked man in front of him, "I changed my name because I am no longer that same boy. I have grown up."

"If you say so..." Madara replied dismissively before a thought occurred to him. Even though his mask concealed his eyes, he stared intently at Pein's striped eyes. "On second thought, I think I do understand how you think you've changed. It's those eyes you now possess."

The aforementioned orbs blinked once, "Perhaps they did have something to do with it. But the circumstances surrounding them were enough to change anyone."

Madara nodded. "Indeed, they were," he folded his arms, "but now is not the time for discussion about that which occurred many years ago. I'm more interested in the present."

"What do you wish to know?" Konan asked, grateful he was changing to the subject to something less painful to remember.

"Many things, but above all, why hasn't the Kyuubi been properly dealt with? Zetsu informed me that he was indeed in the custody of the Akatsuki."

Of course Zetsu had told Madara what was going on. Whenever he wasn't reporting to Pein, Zetsu was reporting to Madara. Neither Konan nor Pein replied immediately. They simply looked at each other, both unsure of how to explain what had happened.

"Well?" Madara prompted them, more than a hint of impatience creeping into his voice. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

"It's a long story..." Pein replied lamely.

"Then I suggest you start telling it," Madara answered, striding over to the largest chair at the stone table, the one Pein himself normally occupied. The masked man sat down, glancing at both of his subordinates, "I'm waiting."

"Very well, then." Pein said nervously. He felt a gentle tug on his sleeve before Konan's warm hand slipped into his own. She gave him a reassuring squeeze, wordlessly reminding him that she was there for him, just like she always had been... and always would be, no matter how difficult circumstances were.

His confidence restored, Pein began, "It all started when I gave orders to Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha to apprehend the Kyuubi after another one of my subordinates had failed for the second time..."

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Itachi blinked, "King?"

"That's right. King," Kakashi confirmed.

"How is that even possible?" Itachi asked the coyote demon, but stared at Naruto, who wouldn't look his way.

"Demon law," Kakashi answered simply. Itachi just frowned, still not understanding. He continued, "There are three classes of demons in our world. They are ranked according to level of power. The weakest and considered to be the lowest tier are the so-called 'creature' demons, consisting of imps and other small demons. The middle tier belongs to us," Kakashi gestured to Sakura and himself, "We are animal demons of average strength, which, to be perfectly honest, is still very considerable and dangerous. At the very top of the hierarchy are the tailed-beasts. They occupy the smallest group, but are powerful enough to command all other demons. Their strength is determined by number of tails. The more tails a tailed-beast has, the stronger it is. "

Itachi nodded, taking this information in. "So, then since Naruto is the Kyuubi, he is the strongest of all demons?"

"Yes."

"But how does that make him king?"

"In demon society, we do not pick our rulers by voting or any such thing. Our society is too naturally combative for elections, so strength determines the ruling class. For instance, the Land of Whirlpools was ruled originally by the late Minato Namikaze, Naruto's father and my sensei when I was growing up. Minato was the strongest demon in the land, so the right to rule was automatically granted to him. Of course, he did receive a few challenges from others, but he never lost his kingship because he was not defeated in battle by anybody who sought control of our lands. At the time of his death, Minato's title was passed on to Naruto, the last remaining nine-tailed fox, the strongest of demons."

"I understand, but how does Naruto-kun rule over the humans as well as the demons? I've always thought the humans ruled themselves." Itachi said.

To the Uchiha's surprise, Kakashi uttered a short laugh of amusement that sounded similar to a coyote's bark. "The humans don't rule themselves. Who gave you that idea?"

"No one. I had just thought..."

"It's all right. I think I understand why you were under that impression," Kakashi shook his head, "Humans and their superiority complexes. Thinking they are in charge of everything..."

Itachi's left eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Kakashi noticed, so he asked the human a question, "Haven't you noticed that the humans never seem to fight amongst themselves, but the demons are usually fighting each other? There is a reason for that."

"What is it?"

"The demons fight for the humans and settle their disagreements on their behalves. For example, if two human villages are having a tiff over land, the leader of the humans of each village will tell the demon leaders in the area about it. The demons leaders will then settle the problem, usually with fighting or occasionally negotiating with their demon troops. Once the problem is settled, the human leaders pay a tribute to the demon lords for helping them."

"Basically," Sakura said, "the demons look out for the humans and take care of their problems because they don't want the humans to fight one another. The demons in charge consider the humans on their territories to be under their watch, and so take necessary steps to prevent them from fighting, like a parent moderating between his or her children."

Itachi was astonished by Sakura and Kakashi's words. As a member of Akatsuki, he had seen instances only of humans get attacking by demons, not being looked after. It didn't make sense to him. "But why do the demons attack the humans then?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I can't say for sure, but I think it's because not all demons are happy with the arrangement. They don't like having to 'babysit' the humans and so they lash out at them. Many demons simply hate the humans for being around. They remember the days before humans existed in these lands..."

"What?"

"Yes. A thousand years ago, this continent was inhabited solely by demons of all kinds. Then humans began to arrive from across the ocean. They liked these lands and tried to take them over, but they were not able to fight off the demons. The tailed-beasts did not get angry and instead took pity on them and decided they needed to be looked after. Each tailed-beast gave the humans land in their territories to create their villages under the condition that they would listen to their demonic rulers. The humans accepted, and for time, all was well." Kakashi sighed, "But as time passed, some humans grew discontent with this arrangement and tried to fight the demons once again. They failed, but their efforts angered many lower and middle-class demons. Those few demons began to hate the humans for their ungrateful ways and so for the past few hundred years, select bands of demons began to attack the humans. But, the tailed-beasts and their descendants always honored their decision to look after the humans. Just as it is their duty to rule the other demons responsibly and keep them safe, it is now considered to the sacred duty of the tailed-beasts to keep the humans safe too."

For several minutes, Itachi was silent. It felt as though everything he had thought he knew about the world had been completely turned upside down. In the back of his mind, he suspected that he had heard only the truth from Kakashi and Sakura but he was still stunned. Itachi glanced at Naruto for reassurance that this wasn't some crazy dream.

"It's all true, Itachi." Naruto said softly, understanding the confusion on the dark-haired man's face, "Everything Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan said is true. The demons protect the humans and the strongest demons rule over them all. _I_ rule over them all..."

"And now we need you back, Naruto." Sakura's voice was even, but there was an undertone of pleading. "There is a threat to our people and nobody feels safe without their true king to guide them. We need you, Naruto."

Naruto bit his lip, but he still asked, "What happened, Sakura-chan?"

"Orochimaru, the self-proclaimed 'Snake King', is amassing an army to the north-east. He is gathering all the demon tribes who tire of the tailed-beast rule as well as forcing many to join his cause. From the intelligence gathered, he wants to take over every village there is, human and demon alike. Seven of the nine tailed-beasts have also mysteriously disappeared. Many demon villages no longer have rulers so there is mass confusion and battles for power," Sakura paused, her green eyes reflecting her worry, but also her hope. "Kakashi-sensei and I believe that if you come home and our people see you taking charge, there won't be any more fighting and we will be able to stop Orochimaru."

"Naruto," Kakashi said, "I know this isn't easy for you. Truly, it was not our intention to cause you distress, but we need you back. Our people need you."

"But... what about Itachi?" Naruto asked. Anguish filled his voice. "I don't want to leave him..."

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Sakura said, "but we need you more."

The wind whipping through the rustling leaves was the only sound in the clearing. Kakashi and Sakura stood together, watching Naruto. They knew he was torn right now. He had just been given the choice between staying with Itachi and leaving to save his homeland, friends, and all who resided on the continent.

Suddenly, the silence was broken.

"No," Naruto cried loudly, blue eyes sparkling with tears, "you can't make me choose between you guys and Itachi." He shook his head furiously, trying to clear away the moisture on his cheeks, "I'm not going to choose!"

"But, Naruto," Kakashi replied, "this isn't just about you. This is about _everyone_!"

"I know that!" Naruto shouted back.

"You cannot avoid your responsibility!" Kakashi growled at him. "I can't be king anymore! When you left the Land of Whirlpools six months ago, you left me in charge and said you would come back one day. Well, now is the time. We need you back!"

"Don't yell at him, Kakashi!" Sakura cried. "Things are hard enough for him!" Her green eyes flitted back to her friend's, allowing her to see the torment in those normally happy blue eyes. She sighed and spoke softly to him, "Please, Naruto. Please don't forget who you are."

At the girl's words, a memory floated to the surface of Naruto's mind. He recalled the dying words of the little imp Yoji before he was so mercilessly slain by Kabuto. At the time, Naruto hadn't understood what Yoji meant about not forgetting who he was, but now, he finally knew. It was the Kyuubi's duty to protect not just the humans, but the demons too. This is what Naruto _needed_ to do. An overwhelming sense of resolve filled his being at the thought. Not only did he need to protect them all, he truly _wanted_ to keep them all safe. He would do it for Yoji. For Sakura, for Kakashi... and Itachi, even if meant being apart from him.

Naruto turned to the Uchiha, who had remained silent but tense as he listened to the exchange between all three demons. "Itachi..." the Kyuubi began.

"I know, Naruto-kun." Itachi said, unmindful of the listening coyote and leopardess demons. "You need to go protect your friends, who are more like your family than anything else. You need to protect your kingdom and your subjects. I know."

Suddenly, Itachi grabbed Naruto and held him close, burying his face in soft, spikey, blond hair. Tears pricked the back of his dark eyes, but he did not cry. "Naruto-kun, I love you. I want you with me always, but I'm not going to force you to stay with me. And..." he tightened his hold on Naruto, whose heart ached as he listened to Itachi, "I can't let you lose your family to Orochimaru. He has already taken my family and I cannot keep you here knowing that he will take yours too. You must return to the Land of Whirlpools."

"Itachi, I love you." Naruto choked out, his face pressed into Itachi's neck.

"And you know I love you, Naruto-kun." Itachi gently kissed Naruto's head. "Go with my blessing."

Naruto slowly pulled away from the Uchiha. He took a deep breath and wiped away the stray tears that managed to escape without his permission. He plastered a smile on his face but it didn't look real in the slightest. Kakashi and Sakura both noticed.

"I guess we should go now, huh?" Naruto said, that same watery smile fixed on his face. He did not look at Itachi, who looked at the ground.

"I guess so..."Kakashi agreed, not believing that Naruto would be so accepting of leaving Itachi. Sure enough, just as the silver-haired demon turned on his heels, he heard Naruto asked a surprising question.

"Kakashi, can Itachi come with us?" Kakashi stopped, listening as Naruto continued. "Listen, Itachi isn't like other humans. He's really, really strong and doesn't need anyone to protect him. I'm sure he can handle it. He can fight with us."

Kakashi sighed and turned around, "Naruto, you know we can't just bring him along with us."

"Why not?" Naruto asked his first sensei.

"Because..." Kakashi began, but the more he thought about it, he couldn't really think of a good answer to give Naruto.

To everyone's surprise, Sakura spoke up. "I think it's a good idea to bring the human... Itachi, I mean." She smiled at the Uchiha, then Naruto before continuing. "I can see that Itachi is strong and surely even you have sensed it, Kakashi-sensei. And remember, we need all the help we can get against Orochimaru."

A small smile formed underneath Kakashi's mask. He had known Sakura had been shaken up when she found out about Naruto's relationship with Itachi but now it seemed she was perfectly fine with it. She even seemed happy for Naruto. Kakashi was proud of her. "You know," he said to his students, "it's all well and good that you two agree on this, but have you actually asked the human?"

Sakura and Naruto exchanged a sheepish glance and Kakashi thought it made them look like the children they had once been. It made his smile a little bigger. He addressed Itachi, "So, I'm sure you've been listening to what we just said. Do you want to travel with us to the Land of Whirlpools?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in Itachi's reply. "If you will allow me to go, then I will go. Gladly."

"You're brave, human." Kakashi remarked, not at all surprised by the Uchiha's answer. "You do know that we're traveling to the heart of the demon lands, right? There are no other humans in our village and it's very unlikely you will receive a warm welcome from the other demons. If anything, everyone will likely shun you. In a sense, you'll be all alone."

"I don't care about any of that," Itachi answered smoothly, "I'll be fine and since I'll be with Naruto, I won't be alone."

"And what about the Akatsuki? I don't think you can just leave so suddenly."

"Actually, I was already planning to leave the Akatsuki with Naruto-kun. I didn't know where we would go, but now I do."

"I see..." Kakashi eyed him carefully. The coyote demon knew the human was serious about everything he said and could be trusted. And besides, Kakashi himself knew that humans could indeed be relied on. He had experience with such things. "All right, I don't see why you can't come, human."

"Itachi," he corrected. "My name is Itachi Uchiha."

"Uchiha?" Kakashi repeated, suddenly interested. "You're part of the Uchiha clan?"

"I am the last living member. What of it?"

Instead of replying, Kakashi lifted his slanted navy blue headband, uncovering his scarred, closed left eye. He opened his eye, revealing an all too familiar red iris with three black tomoe around the pupil.

Itachi gasped, "You have a Sharingan?"

"Just like you." Kakashi confirmed.

"But how?"

"It was given to me by an Uchiha member when I was hardly more than a child many, many years ago. The Uchiha was named Obito, and he saved my life when I was captured by humans near the village of Konoha. Although I lost my own left eye in the struggle, he set me free and soon became my friend. One day, Obito asked me to accompany him to rescue his friend Rin who had been taken by bandits. I agreed, and together we saved Rin. But when we were leaving the bandit's hideout, a trap was activated and a rockslide occurred. Obito pushed me and Rin to safety, but the rocks hit him and crushed the right side of his body." Kakashi paused, a note of sorrow creeping into his voice, "Of course, he did not survive. But before he died, he wanted me to have his Sharingan eye as a token of his appreciation for our friendship. Rin knew a variety of medical techniques and did the transplant before she returned to Konoha and I went back to the Land of Whirlpools."

_Obito Uchiha,_ Itachi repeated the name in his mind. When Itachi was growing up, he had heard that name mentioned a few times. "Obito Uchiha was my father's uncle," he said, remembering. "My father once said that Obito had been killed by demons for his Sharingan, but for some reason, I didn't believe that. It just didn't make sense to me."

Kakashi sighed and pulled down his headband, "Your father was misinformed. Itachi. What I said is the truth... and part of the reason why I will trust in you. It's no secret that not all humans or demons can be trusted, but there are some who can be. I strongly suspect you are one of those few."

"Thank you, Kakashi." Itachi said.

"Don't thank me," Kakashi said, but not unkindly. "Instead, show your gratitude on the battlefield besides us against Orochimaru and his army."

Itachi nodded resolutely, "I can do that."

"Good." Kakashi once again faced Naruto, "Are you ready to leave now?"

Naruto shook his head, "Not yet."

"Why not? We need to get back as soon as possible, you know."

"I do know that, but shouldn't Itachi and I say good-bye before we leave?" Naruto asked. He noticed the slight narrowing of Kakashi's visible eye before he hastily added, "Yeah, I know they're Akatsuki and they captured me and probably wanted to kill me, but still... they were actually pretty nice. Not all of them, but some were."

Kakashi sighed, "I see you haven't changed one bit, have you, Naruto?"

Naruto grinned, "Nope."

Kakashi sighed again.

Sakura laughed, "Oh, come on, Kakashi-sensei. Just let him. I'm sure it won't take long."

"It's not a matter of how long it'll take. I just don't want a bunch of skilled demon hunters knowing we're here. It's not safe for us, Sakura. We're technically in the heart of enemy territory right now." Kakashi glanced at Naruto and Itachi, "Nor is it safe for you two to be associating with us. You don't want to be dragged into an unnecessary confrontation."

"I know what you mean," Itachi said. "Lately, there's been a lot of unnecessary fights around here and I don't need yet another one added to the list."

Naruto understood what Itachi referred to and agreed with the sentiment. Since everyone in the Akatsuki had found out about him and Itachi's relationship, there had been a lot of unneeded aggression within the organization. Naruto didn't want to see any more, so he proposed a solution, "Well, why don't you and Sakura-chan get going and Itachi and I will catch up to you guys later? That way, we get to say our good-byes and nobody else knows you two are here."

When Kakashi didn't reply, Naruto added, "I know you think this is kinda stupid, but this is something I need to do. It's something I think I should do. And Itachi," Naruto flicked a glance at him, "he really needs to do it, even if it seems that he doesn't care. I know he does. The Akatsuki are his comrades, his friends. It wouldn't be right to leave them without saying something."

"Fine, Naruto." Kakashi finally relented when he saw the resolve in Naruto's eyes. The coyote demon knew there was no point in arguing when the Kyuubi looked like that. When Naruto was determined, nothing could stop him. "You can do it, but Sakura and I will be on the road already by the time you get finished -"

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei! You're the best!" Naruto cheered, interrupting his first sensei.

"Let me finish, Naruto." Kakashi's voice became serious, "I doubt we will able be able to meet up on the road, so rather than looking for us, just meet us in the Land of Whirlpools. You have exactly seven days to meet us there. If you don't arrive after seven days, I will have no choice but to assume the worst and announce to the villagers that you are not coming back. Not only that, but you have decided to renounce your claim to rule the demons."

Itachi blinked in surprise, Sakura's green eyes widened, and Naruto paled. "But why, Kakashi-sensei?" the two teenage demons questioned in unison.

"You've been gone too long, Naruto." Kakashi answered simply. "Things are very unstable right now. Our people need to see some action or they will lose their will to fight. We need to be swift and decisive. In your heart of hearts, you already know this."

Naruto clenched his fists and for a moment, Kakashi thought he might try to take a swing at him. But he didn't. Instead, Naruto spoke with the authority of a king. "I understand, Kakashi-sensei. And no matter what happens, I will return to the Land of Whirlpools. I'll take my rightful place as king and lead our warriors against Orochimaru and his army. And we will win. Believe it."

"I do believe it," Kakashi said, smiling once more. He firmly believed in the Kyuubi's words and felt that if all the other demons saw Naruto's determination as he just had, then they would win against Orochimaru. Not only that, but seeing Naruto like that reminded the coyote demon of the little fox demon he had first met many years ago. When Naruto was first introduced as Kakashi's student, the young Kyuubi had insisted that he would be the greatest king the demons had ever known. At the time, Kakashi hadn't been sure of what to think about such a bold claim, but as time passed, he realized that perhaps it wasn't such so farfetched after all. It was simply something that would happen one day.

Itachi smiled proudly at Naruto. He was pleased to see Naruto displaying such strength even though he had a tough job ahead of him. _Actually, we both do._ Itachi realized, remembering he would be joining Naruto against Orochimaru. In truth, the mere thought of seeing the murderous Snake King again after all these years was enough to make the Uchiha experience a vortex of emotions; a savage rage blended with the deepest, most sorrowful pain he had ever known that stemmed the deaths of his family which made him want to race to the Land of Whirlpools and take slow, torturous revenge on the monster that had ruined his young life. But beyond that anger, a protective feeling emerged. Just as Naruto needed to protect the demons under his rule, Itachi needed to protect him, and most importantly, remain by the person whom he loved more than anything else.

Naruto felt Itachi's eyes on him and turned around. He gave the dark-haired man a bright but reassuring smile, as though wordlessly telling the Uchiha that they would be both be okay regardless of what happened. The Kyuubi held the human's gaze for a few moments before addressing his fellow demons, "I guess it's time for all of us to get started on what we need to do," he said, padding up to Kakashi and Sakura. "If you two leave now up, I bet you'll make it home in less than four days."

Kakashi nodded, "I'd say that's about right." The coyote demon extended a hand to Naruto, "Good luck, Naruto. Hurry up and get back. We need a hero to save us, you know."

Naruto clasped the other man's hand and laughed, "I know, and I'm the only one fit for the job."

"That's right." Kakashi let Naruto's hand go. Just as he did, Naruto jumped on him, giving him a quick hug. When Naruto let go, Kakashi blinked in surprise before letting out an embarrassed chuckle. "Really, Naruto... was that necessary?"

"Sure was!" Naruto confirmed happily, earning a big smile from Sakura. He gave a grin in return and opened his arms. She stepped into them and Itachi watched as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Dark Uchiha eyes widened ever so slightly in disbelief as the leopardess kissed Naruto on the lips; a light, but firm contact.

A faint blush colored Naruto's cheeks but before he could ask the reason for the kiss, Sakura explained, giving him a slightly teasing wink. "Don't look so bug-eyed, Naruto. It's a kiss for luck," she stepped away from him, "and congratulations on finding your true mate."  
>The girl spun on her heels and faced Itachi. She gave him a friendly smile and bowed respectfully to him, "It was nice to meet you, Itachi. Please take good care of Naruto, okay? He's one of a kind."<p>

"I will do so, Sakura." Itachi replied, giving the girl a faint smile in turn. Sakura seemed pleased by this and she stepped back, allowing Kakashi to speak to Itachi.

"Itachi," Kakashi began, squarely meeting the other man's eyes, "as I said earlier, Naruto's father was my sensei. He was a wise man and taught me many things, not only about fighting but about life, too. He taught me about the important things in life that went beyond successfully completing missions." Briefly, his visible eye slid over to Naruto, "After Minato died, I felt that it was my duty to look after Naruto as a way to honor both him and his mate, Kushina. I took it upon myself to train Naruto when he was twelve. I taught him for years until his training with another demon named Jiraiya the Toad Sage began. That lasted until Jiraiya's death two years ago. It was about that time that Naruto began to think about other things besides his responsibility to the Land of Whirlpools. He wanted to leave and begin the search to find answers about his parents' untimely deaths. I didn't allow him to leave until six months ago so I could train him a little longer as my way of making sure he would return safely."

His steady gaze returned to the Uchiha, "And instead of finding what he was looking for, he found a mate instead. Not just a mate, but a human, and a member of the Akatsuki too." Kakashi paused thoughtfully, "And I think that he picked well. Just remember that as Naruto's mate, it's now your duty to protect him at all costs."

A faint smile touched at the corners of Itachi's lips. "I already know that. You don't have anything to worry about when it comes to Naruto-kun. This I swear to you."

"I realize this, but I still felt it necessary to mention - more for my own peace of mind than anything."

"I understand."

Kakashi held out a hand and Itachi shook it, "Take care of yourself, Itachi, and don't forget about what's important to you."

Itachi nodded once and Kakashi released his hand. The coyote demon turned on his heels and addressed the waiting leopardess. "Are you ready, Sakura?"

"Yes, sensei."

"Then let's go," Without another word, the two demons transformed into their animal forms and swiftly bounded away, their powerful paws hardly making a sound on the grass as they sped away into the forest.

Naruto watched them depart, a faraway look in his eyes. He wasn't sure how to feel right now. Sure, he was happy about seeing Sakura and Kakashi, but their visit had been for such a dreadful reason.

"Are you all right, Naruto-kun?" Itachi inquired softly, noticing the peculiar expression in the Kyuubi's blue eyes.

"Yeah, I just need some time to let this all sink in."

"I know what you mean," He walked up to Naruto and gave him a smirk, "After all, it's not every day that I find out my lover is actually the rightful king of the demons."

"And the humans, too." Naruto added with a grin of his own.

"Yes, of course, my King." Itachi responded, giving Naruto a mock bow. Naruto laughed, the worry in his eyes fading. Itachi took one of Naruto's hands, lacing his fingers with the demon's. "Naruto-kun, please don't worry about anything. I know the situation sounds bad, but we'll get through it. I just know we will."

"So do I." Naruto said, his confidence restored. He knew that with Itachi by his side, the two of them could beat the odds stacked against them. After all, they had done it before, and if they could do it once, then they could certainly do it again.

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Twenty miles away from the Akatsuki's base, Sakura and Kakashi stopped by a lake to get a drink of water. Once their thirsts were sated, they sat in the spongy grass giving themselves a much-needed break. No matter who you are, twenty miles at a full sprint isn't easy.

Sakura was sunning her face when she heard Kakashi's rumbling growl of address, _"Sakura, may I speak to you for a moment?"  
><em>  
><em>"Sure. What is it, Kakashi-sensei?"<em> Her green eyes reflected her curiosity as she gazed at the silver coyote.

Kakashi tilted his head, thinking about the best way to ask what he needed to. Once he decided, he asked, _"How did you feel about seeing Naruto with Itachi as his mate?"_

The tip of her long tail whipped thoughtfully for several minutes before she answered_, "At first, I was just so shocked that I didn't really know what to think. When the shock faded, I got upset. I just thought that Naruto was supposed to be my mate."_ She shook her head, _"But I was just being selfish by thinking that. I didn't consider how Naruto felt about anything. I was just skeptical of Itachi and him." _Her eyes brightened as she continued, _"But that changed when I saw the way Naruto looked when you asked him to tell Itachi the truth about who he was. Naruto looked so scared, but when Itachi told him that no matter what he heard, it wouldn't change the way he felt about him, I saw Naruto smile again. He looked so happy, too.  
><em>  
><em>"And I saw the way Itachi responded when you told Naruto he would have to leave. Itachi looked hurt, but he was willing to let Naruto go so he could do what he needed to. That, to me, proved that Itachi loved him... loved him enough to let him go. And...,"<em> Sakura's voice broke. She lowered her head and didn't speak.

Kakashi padded up to her and nuzzled her briefly, gently. _"It's okay, Sakura. You don't need to continue."  
><em>  
><em>"I have to,"<em> she lifted her head and exhaled from her nose. _"In the end, I realized that Naruto had made an excellent choice. He found someone he really loved and who really loved him. Nothing else really matters. I'm just so happy for Naruto now."  
><em>  
>Kakashi was incredibly proud of the leopardess. She was mature enough to let go of her envy and anything else that may have clouded her judgment about Naruto and Itachi. She saw things as they really were and was accepting of the way things had changed between her and Naruto. There would be no romantic future with her and the Kyuubi, but they would still be in each other's lives. The two of them were friends. Nothing more, nothing less.<p>

Sakura stretched her forelegs out before getting into a standing position, _"I think we've rested long enough, Kakashi-sensei. We should go now."  
><em>  
>Kakashi nodded in agreement, <em>"Sounds good to me. Let's get back to business."<em>

_"Right."_

_"And Sakura?"_

_"What?"_

_"One day, you'll find a wonderful mate of your own. I just know it."_

_"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."_

The leopardess passed by Kakashi, lightly bumping her shoulder into his in gratitude. _"You know, sensei, you're starting to sound a bit too sentimental today. Don't tell me all of this talking about feelings is making you soft?"_

The coyote barked out a short laugh, _"No, it's not that. I think I'm just getting soft in my old age. This is how the aging process starts, you know. First you get soft, then you start slowing down..."  
><em>  
><em>"Yeah, right. Nothing can slow you down."<em> She picked up her pace and Kakashi followed her easily. Together, the two of them raced to the Land of Whirlpools, each furiously hoping that they would see Naruto again... and soon.

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"And that's is how the situation currently stands with Itachi Uchiha and the Kyuubi." Pein said as he finished the long narrative of Itachi and Naruto's relationship. Of course, even with Konan's help, he didn't know the full story of the hunter and demon so all he could do was reveal what he did know.

Perhaps Madara could tell that fragments of what had occurred were untold. For a long and rather unsettling while, he remained quiet and oddly still. Madara was the type of person who liked to know everything about a situation, and when he felt someone was withholding anything - no matter how small a detail it was - it caused the masked man to fly into a rage. In truth, it wasn't even Pein's fault that he didn't know everything. After all, how could he know every single little detail about what Itachi had done? The only one who knew was Itachi, and it was extremely doubtful to think he'd talk about it, especially after everything that had recently occurred within the Akatsuki.

"So... I trust that's all you know, then?" Madara asked, his gloved fingers flexing and unflexing on the stone tabletop.

"Yes. I've said all I know." Pein replied.

"And so have I." Konan added, still standing by Pein's side. In truth, she did intentionally leave out the first time she saw Itachi and Naruto together, but she felt she had good reason; it was a private moment between the two of them and she had been technically been spying on them. Having never fully approved of the job Zetsu carried out on a daily basis for Madara and Pein, Konan was certainly not going to admit to doing it herself.

"Hmm... I see." Another strange silence from Madara as he watched them both carefully. Not for the first time, Konan wished that she could see Madara's face so she could at least have a faint idea of what he was thinking. Briefly, she glanced at Pein, who remained expressionless, waiting. Obviously waiting to hear something, but what that something was, Konan didn't know.

Finally, Madara stood up, his stone chair scraping against the floor. He began pacing the area back and forth between the wall and the table, hands clasped behind his back as he repeatedly made small, even circles. "Things have definitely changed in my absence, haven't they? Imagine... one of our best and brightest members of the Akatsuki is having a romantic relationship with not only a demon, but the Kyuubi, the star of the demon world. It's astonishing, really."

Pein summoned his courage and asked the question that had been burning in his mind since Madara's arrival, "What are you planning to do about it?"

Madara stopped his pacing, "Do?" He repeated, sounding surprised. His voice rose angrily as he spoke, "I didn't know I was supposed to _do_ anything about it, considering the fine example you've already set. You, who did nothing and allowed it to continue. If anything, I should just- "

Suddenly, Madara stopped, mid-rant. Konan and Pein were taken aback. In the fifteen years they've known Madara, he hadn't ever stopped himself in the middle of an angry tirade. Something was wrong... very wrong.

"Never mind," Madara said calmly. He strode back to his seat and sat down. "I know what to do."

Trying to control the sense of dread she felt, Konan asked politely, "And what will that be, Leader-sama?"

"You'll see soon enough, my dear Konan. You too, Yahiko -" Madara noticed Pein stiffen uncomfortably at the name. Underneath his mask, the man smiled in a satisfied way. "Oops, I slipped there, didn't I? I meant _Pein_." He amended with a lie. "Anyway, you two are dismissed. Go away and leave me to think."

"But Leader-sama -" Pein began.

"That's enough. You heard me." Madara replied, not showing a hint of aggression. He lifted a hand and waved them away dismissively, as though they were troublesome children bothering their teacher, "Go play outside or something."

Konan and Pein exchanged puzzled looks, but did as they were told. Both of them bowed to the masked man before hurrying out the door.

Alone, Madara leaned back in his chair, sitting in it the way a bored king might sit on his throne. He reflected on what he learned from his subordinates. Truth be told, the news hadn't shocked him as much as one might have thought. He did, after all, get a thorough report on the daily activities on the members of the Akatsuki from Zetsu on a regular basis. He already knew a lot more than he let on to Konan and Pein. Of course, there was a lot more they didn't know about him and he doubted they ever would find out.

But there was one thing Pein, Konan, and all the other Akatsuki lackeys would all know soon enough. They, including the nine-tails who seemed so content to remain with his lover, would all see the truth of who really ran the Akatsuki, and why.

Briefly, Madara recalled Konan's last question to him before being sent away. He thought of a better answer than the one he originally gave her, _I'm going to do what I should have done a long, long time ago..._

Too bad he hadn't thought of it earlier. To him, it was a perfect reply; it didn't evade the question, but didn't give too specific an answer either, and was just vague enough to be considered subtly threatening. Exactly how an answer like that should be.

Underneath his mask, Madara smirked.


	12. Changes and Choices

Author's Note: Hello. Here's the next chapter of the story. Thanks soooo much to all the lovely readers who added this story to their alerts/favorites. It's just wonderful to me that people are still following this story after all this time. It's been a while since I've updated, so I'll keep this short so you can get to reading. Anyway, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto because I am not brilliant enough to have thought of it myself.

_**WARNINGS**__: Mild swearing, light yaoi, and violence. Nothing too bad, but I thought I should mention it anyway._

12. Changes and Choices

With careful fingers and a small paint brush, Sasori applied a layer of clear glaze over the eyes of one of his favorite puppets, Hiruko. The puppet was made years ago from a demon that attacked Sasori's native village of Suna. Sasori's paternal grandmother, Chiyo, had slain the beast and rather than throw the corpse away, she kept it and preserved it. As a child raised by Chiyo after the untimely deaths of his parents, Sasori was fascinated with it. As soon as he was old enough, Chiyo had taught him about using puppets as weapons and the art of taxidermy. Sasori enjoyed these lessons immensely - especially about taxidermy. He liked the fact that taxidermied animals would last so many years after they died. To him, it reinforced the idea that the best art lasted forever, or at the very least, a long time.

After glossing Hiruko's eyes, Sasori picked up a few senbon and opened the trap door on the puppet's throat. He slipped in the razor-sharp needles and closed the door, careful to avoid nicking the leathery hide. Sasori opened the drawer on his work desk and removed a suede polishing cloth to make Hiruko shine.

Just as Sasori put the cloth to Hiruko's face, he heard a knock on his bedroom door. Sasori ignored it and began polishing Hiruko. Another knock. He ignored that one too. After several minutes the knocking became louder and harder to ignore. Sasori sighed, irked. He really didn't want to deal with anyone right now but he obviously couldn't just demand they leave. And of course, he couldn't discount the fact that the interruption might be important.

"Come in," he finally said reluctantly, "Door's open."

Sasori had his back to his guest as he resumed maintenancing Hiruko. When he heard the speaker's voice, he frowned.

"Sasori," Deidara began, "can we talk for a minute, un?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Sasori replied evenly. He didn't bother to turn around and face his partner. "Besides, I'm busy."

Deidara didn't like to be ignored but instead of getting angry about it, he decided to be as pleasant as possible, "You certainly look busy. That's Hiruko, right? It's time for his yearly tune-up already, un?"

"Yup."

A pause, then, "How long does the maintenance usually take?"

"As long as it needs to."

"I see." Deidara glanced around the small bedroom. Pots of paints, sandpaper, brushes, screws, and various puppet making supplies were scattered all over the tile floor. Four wooden puppets with fresh paint jobs sat next to each other against the wall. "How long have you been working on your puppets this time, un?"

"Since I got back from my last scouting mission," He stopped polishing Hiruko and balled the suede cloth in his fist. Sasori's tone became slightly more hostile as he continued, "You know, the day you kissed Itachi and caused Naruto to fly into a rage."

Deidara already knew Sasori was angry about that event. Over the years, the blond had been able to tell Sasori's moods from his habits. If the red-head was upset about anything, he didn't talk about it. Instead, he would bury himself in work until he felt better. He'd just stay in his room working for hours or days on end. It seemed like he was currently in another work marathon in an effort to feel better.

"Sasori, I'm sorry." Deidara said after a moment. "If I hurt you in any way, I apologize. You know how I am. I don't really think about anyone besides myself when I do things. That's no excuse, I know, but old habits are hard to break, un."

Sasori turned around. "I know that very well, Deidara." His keen brown eyes immediately picked out the bruise on Deidara's jaw. Sasori already knew that was an angry Hidan's handiwork. Konan had told him everything about that day and Pein's idea involving her, Deidara and Itachi. After finding out, Sasori had been disgusted with the plan. He found it immensely distasteful and couldn't help feeling contempt for Deidara for initially agreeing to go through with it. Sure, orders were orders, and in the Akatsuki orders were always carried out, but what about personal scruples? Didn't that matter anymore? "Why did you agree to it, Deidara? What were you thinking?"

"I just wanted to try and get back at the Kyuubi. He kicked my ass twice and bit off my arm. Can you blame me for being bitter towards him, un?"

Sasori frowned, "That's no excuse. Don't forget I was with you when we fought Naruto. I got injured too. Remember my concussion? You probably do, but I don't. I was unconscious for two days."

"I know that. I was by your bedside until you woke up," Deidara answered. He recalled how anxious he had been during that time. Even though Deidara himself had a major injury and subsequent surgery to replace his severed arm, he was still terribly worried about Sasori. He feared that Sasori, so still and quiet, would never awake from his trauma-induced slumber. But fortunately for them both, Sasori eventually did wake up and except for a bad headache, he was unaffected by his head injury.

Sasori sighed. Having recalled Deidara's face as he woke up, he was beginning to feel a bit bad for being rude to his partner, "Just say what you need to. You know I don't like waiting around for things."

Deidara sat on the edge of Sasori's bed. He looked at Sasori, Hiruko and the other puppets in the room before he dropped his gaze to his hands folded on his lap. Deidara twirled the ring on his thumb, seemingly unable to start.

Sasori knew Deidara wasn't very good at expressing feelings in a civilized conversation so he decided to address the situation himself. True to form, he did it in his own unique fashion. "If I had been born in a world where I didn't have to fight demons, do you know what kind of occupation I would have love to have?"

Deidara gave him a puzzled look, "Why are you asking me, un?"

"Just listen to me and you'll see what I mean." Sasori said before answering his own question, "I would have been a taxidermist or possibly someone who builds puppets that aren't chock full of weapons. I would have wanted to make things that last for a long time and would be appreciated by those who come after me."

Deidara raised an eyebrow questioningly, "The puppet-making part makes sense to me, but why taxidermy? It's creepy, un."

"To some people, yes, but not all think so. I don't think it's creepy at all." Sasori said. He turned around and grabbed Hiruko off his work table. "Do you see this? Hiruko used to be a living, breathing demon. That was over twenty years ago. Now look at him. He's dead, but not rotting at all. In fact, he's in excellent condition and still extremely useful to me." Sasori's eyes swept over Hiruko fondly. "He's one of my favorites. One of the things I like best about him is his longevity. To me, there's nothing better than the things that last and last. They are the only things that matter because they stand the test of time."

At last, Deidara understood where Sasori was going with this, "You're talking about us, aren't you?"

"Yup." Sasori paused briefly to gather his thoughts. He took a deep breath before continuing, "The problem with you and I being together is one of different beliefs. You don't care for the things that last, but I do. Our priorities are different. You may think they only apply to our art, but they carry over to all aspects of our lives, especially our personal lives."

Blue eyes widened, "Just what are you saying, Sasori?"

"I'm saying that we shouldn't have been together in the first place. We shouldn't have mixed business with pleasure the way we did. We had different beliefs on what we wanted from each other and that's why we always so had many problems." To Deidara's surprise, Sasori gave him a smile. "That said, I still want to be your partner in the Akatsuki. I want us to be friends again without all the weirdness that comes with having an intimate relationship with someone you work with. Can we be just friends, Deidara?"

"Yes, of course!" Deidara exclaimed happily, getting to his feet. "I had thought you hated me for everything. I thought you wouldn't ever forgive me for all the things I've done and - "

Sasori held up hand, covering Deidara's mouth. "That's enough. I get it." He took his hand off Deidara, "And just to be clear, I am a little mad at you. But it's only because you were being stupid and reckless by agreeing to Leader-sama's plan. Promise me to be more cautious in the future and you're off the hook."

"I promise, un."

"Good. Friends, then?"

"Yeah," Deidara nodded. He hesitated before adding, "Is there any way we could occasionally...?"

Sasori rolled his eyes, "No. You don't do things like 'that' with your friends. It complicates things and we don't need any more complications - especially with all the tension around here with Itachi and Leader-sama."

"Oh, OK."

"I'm glad you understand, Deidara." Quickly, he leaned forward and kissed the blond briefly on the mouth. Deidara blinked in surprise. Sasori grinned, "And that's all you're getting from me."

Deidara was about to utter a reply, but a sharp knocking at the door interrupted him. "May I have your attention for a moment, Sasori?"

As one, Sasori and Deidara exchanged a worried look. The person at the door was Pein, but why did he sound so odd? He sounded so timid instead of his usual confident self.

"Of course, Leader-sama. Please come in." Sasori said.

Pein opened the door slowly and padded in. He turned his striped eyes on the partners, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything..."

"It's nothing like that." Deidara said. "I just needed to ask Sasori a quick question, un."

"I see." Pein lowered his gaze and spoke, "I'm sorry I interrupted you two."

"No, it's fine, Leader-sama." Sasori quickly assured the orange-haired man. Sasori felt a flicker of uncertainty as he looked at Pein, who had actually just cringed at the mention of his title within the Akatsuki. "Leader-sama," another cringe, less obvious this time. "What did you need to say?"

"I just wanted to inform you of a meeting that will be taking place within the next fifteen minutes. Please be there on time."

"Sure." Sasori said.

Pein gave them the faintest of nods before he turned on his heels and left.

When he was gone, Sasori and Deidara once again exchanged a worried look. But this time, there was more than a little fear present although neither one could explain why. However, the cause of their unease would soon be known to them.

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After Pein left Sasori's room, he continued down the hallways and personally requested the attendance of each of his subordinates. He was given more than one confused look, but this was only because Pein, leader of the Akatsuki, did not request members to attend meetings; he ordered them to attend and rarely did he inform them himself. Pein normally sent Kakuzu, Konan, or occasionally Zetsu to gather the hunters.

When there was only one member of the Akatsuki left to inform about the meeting, Pein lingered at the door, uncharacteristically unsure. He gathered up his resolve and knocked on the door. Once, twice, three times before the door opened.

"What do you want?" Itachi asked him, dark eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I'm only here to request your attendance, Itachi." Pein replied. "There will be a very important meeting within ten minutes. It's very important you attend."

"And what about me?"

At first, Pein did not recognize the voice. When he saw the bright blue eyes peering over Itachi's shoulder, a knot twisted in his gut.

"Kyuubi," Pein said, acknowledging the fox demon.

Naruto watched the leader of Akatsuki carefully but remained silent as he gazed into the strange striped eyes.

Itachi broke the silence. "We'll both be there. We have an announcement of our own to make."

"No, I don't think the Kyuubi should attend."

Dark eyes narrowed further at the other man, "And why not?"

Pein switched his gaze from Naruto to the Uchiha in front of him. He did not cower beneath the angry dark eyes. "I do not believe the Kyuubi should attend because it is not safe for him to do so. I know his safety is paramount to you, Itachi, so I cannot allow you to bring him along. Do you understand?"

Naruto growled softly, "Why are you talking about me like I'm not here? If there's something dangerous, I can handle it. Don't act like you can't acknowledge me just because I'm a tailed-beast!"

"It's okay. Calm down, Naruto-kun." Itachi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and held him against him. He addressed Pein once again, "Talk to Naruto-kun with the respect he deserves or you will not get my cooperation."

Pein knew he was treading on thin ice with Itachi but he still couldn't help but feel a spark of pride upon hearing the Uchiha's words. He sounded like a leader giving orders. Because of this and the fact that Itachi always used to follow orders, Pein did as he was told. "Kyuubi... Naruto Uzumaki," he began, "I beg of you, do not attend this meeting with Itachi. It simply is not safe for you or Itachi if you are in the same place at the same time."

Naruto heard the pleading in Pein's voice and it worried him. "Why isn't safe?"

"It just isn't." Pein answered tersely. A flicker of anger was visible in his reply.

"All right," Naruto finally said. He looked up at Itachi, "Just go and tell them what we've decided, okay?"

Itachi nodded, "Okay." He kissed Naruto on the forehead and Naruto retreated into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Both Pein and Itachi were relieved to hear the door lock.

Without saying anything to the other man, Itachi strode down the hallway to the meeting room. Pein followed him. The two of them walked in silence as Pein had expected.

Right before they reached the heavy door to the meeting room, Itachi stopped. He didn't turn around, "First you try and separate Naruto-kun and I, now you act as though you care about his well-being. What's your angle? What are you trying to do now?"

Pein sighed, "Itachi, your anger is understandable but don't forget that I'm just trying to do what I feel is right."

At this, Itachi turned around. His Sharingan blazed threateningly, "What you think is right? Don't make me laugh. All you were trying to do kill Naruto-kun. Even after you found out about us, you still tried to keep us apart. You knew how I felt about him but you didn't care. You still don't care about anything except your own goals and I bet you're planning something else as we speak."

"No, I'm not." Pein shook his head. "Whether or not you believe me, my only goal was trying to protect you. That's all I wanted. I thought that if you didn't have that bond with the Nine-Tails, it would keep you safe from... what is to come."

Itachi's eyes narrowed further, "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see soon enough." Pein walked past him, "Let's go. The meeting is about to commence."

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Seated around the familiar stone table, the assembled Akatsuki members regarded each other silently. Even Hidan, prone to various remarks and swear words, did not say anything. He was too preoccupied with trying to figure out the cause of the feeling of uneasiness that blanketed the room like an ominous storm cloud overhead.

Pein was the only one standing, "Before we begin this meeting, I want to say that it was truly an honor to lead the Akatsuki for as long as I have. Although I seldom say it, I am proud of the warriors gathered here today. Know that you all have earned my utmost respect and gratitude for serving under my command."

Kakuzu raised an eyebrow questioningly, "Leader-sama, with all due respect, it isn't like you to say these types of things." A murmur of agreement rumbled softly among the other Akatsuki. "What's going on? Are you terminally ill?"

"I'm not sick, Kakuzu. I just wanted to say something that I have always felt to be true."

A bark of derisive laughter echoed through the room. At once, all eyes turned to Hidan, who was known for laughing at inopportune moments.

"What the fuck are you all looking at?" Hidan asked them. "That wasn't me."

"No, but it was me," admitted a low, unfamiliar voice.

The assembled Akatsuki quickly scanned the room, searching for the intruder. All but Pein and Konan looked around. When no one was sighted, Kisame growled and gripped the hilt of Samehada, "Show yourself!"

"Do my ears deceive me, or is a demon mutt giving me orders?" A dark spiral of energy spun on the wall for several seconds before a man emerged from it. The energy dispersed as soon as the masked man seemingly stepped out of the wall and into the meeting room. As the rest of the Akatsuki was about to find out, the man was none other than Madara.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Hidan yelled, startled by the man's sudden appearance.

Madara ignored him and focused on Pein instead, "'I just want to say something I have always felt to be true'? Aren't you a little old for such theatrics? You're thirty now. Don't you think you should be acting as such?"

"I am twenty-nine; I'll be thirty in three and a half months." Pein corrected, ignoring Madara's insult.

Madara let out an exasperated sigh, "And your point is...?"

Hidan stood up, angry at being ignored. "Did you hear me? I asked who the fuck you were! Answer me, you masked son of a bitch!"

At last, Madara glanced in Hidan's direction. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, you bastard!"

"Very well, then. I'll show you." Madara replied smoothly, unruffled by Hidan's name-calling. Of all those present, the only two who noticed the black chains that dangled from Madara's long sleeves were Pein and Konan, causing both of them to feel a sharp pang of fear and worry for Hidan.

Madara took one step toward Hidan, who anticipated a direct attack. The attack, however, was nothing like anyone expected. One moment Madara was across the room, the next he was standing right behind Hidan. "I am your new master." He said, his concealed face right next to the scythe-wielder's left ear.

Before Hidan could react, Madara made his move. As quick as a blink, the long chains dangling like shackles from Madara's wrists ensnared Hidan, tight enough to make him involuntarily exhale and immobilizing him. When Hidan tried to regain his breath, he found he was unable to do so; a strip of the heavy black chain was around his throat, seemingly squeezing with the force of a boa constrictor.

The horror-stricken Akatsuki around them watched with terror in their eyes as the scene played out. They watched as Madara teleported himself and Hidan to the center of the stone table top. Madara then sweep-kicked Hidan's legs out from under him, causing Hidan to fall painfully to his knees and the chains to further tighten around his body. Standing behind the trapped man, Madara gave the chains another sharp pull and Hidan could feel his bones about to snap from the pressure of the chains. Hidan's face began to take on a redder shade and the veins in his eyes stood out in sharp contrast to his purple irises. A look of fearful panic widened his eyes as he realized that he was being asphyxiated.

At this point, Konan couldn't take it anymore, "Stop!" She cried out, her amber eyes moist with unshed tears. She knew that Madara would kill Hidan; Madara was a man who did not believe in mercy. "You don't need to do this!"

Madara ignored Konan. Instead, he stood behind the kneeling Hidan and planted a foot between his shoulder blades. Again, Madara pulled the chains, speaking as he did so, "Do you see where your insolence has led you, boy? You're about to have your bones crushed and it's all because you lack any kind of respect. I do not tolerate disrespectful mongrels such as you in my organization."

Hidan wasn't able to reply. His face was slowly developing a bluish tint from the lack of oxygen.

Madara continued, his deep voice booming in the nearly silent room, "Do you all see what is going on here? This is a master punishing his disobedient dog." He flicked a glance at Pein, who looked away. "The man you knew as 'Leader-sama' is not truly in charge. I am, for it was I, Madara, who assembled the Akatsuki for the first time. After hearing about what was going in this organization, I have decided to once again take the reins of leadership again. As I told this mongrel here," Madara ground his foot into Hidan's back, "I am your new master. You will obey me, and if you do not, I will punish you like any disobedient dog. And don't think I won't kill you either. You will not be missed and dogs are easy to replace."

At last, Madara removed his foot from Hidan. Surprising everyone, he used his secret jutsu to make the chains intangible and pulled them right through Hidan's body without harming him further and leapt off the table. Freed from the chains, Hidan tried to fill his aching lungs with air. Konan climbed onto the table and began to heal any damage done to him.

Madara regarded Konan for several moments, "Would you look at that?" He asked rhetorically, "The little girl can't resist helping the mongrel with the potty mouth. It would be touching if it wasn't such saccharine garbage."

With that acidic criticism, Madara left the meeting room.

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In the library, the Akatsuki members had gathered for an impromptu meeting, minus their new leader.

"There is no way I'm going to serve that maniac," Kakuzu said simply, folding his arms across his chest.

"Me neither," Deidara agreed. "He's a freakin' psychopath!"

Next to him, Sasori nodded, "I'll say. Just look what he did to Hidan just for cussing a little. He almost killed him!"

Seated on the couch, Konan sat with Hidan's head on her lap. The scythe wielder was uncharacteristically quiet due to the trauma to his neck. Konan strongly suspected that his vocal cords may have been damaged during Madara's attack. She was worried about the possibility of permanent damage to them, so she had spent her time trying to heal him as best she could. She spoke softly to him with a degree of tenderness that she usually showed only to Pein.

Off to the side, Pein regarded Konan and Hidan silently, unsure what to feel in light of the recent events. When he felt Kakuzu's glare on him, he looked at the man instead, waiting to be questioned extensively.

"You could have warned us about Madara." Kakuzu said, his deep voice hardly more than a growl. "Why didn't you tell us about him sooner if you knew what kind of person he was?"

Pein sighed, "I know I should have told you sooner about him, but I wasn't sure you would understand."

"Understand?!" Deidara screeched, "What's there to understand? He's a freakin' lunatic, un!"

"He may be harsh, but that doesn't mean he's crazy, Deidara." Pein replied. "I am not defending or praising Madara, but you must know that he's extremely intelligent. He doesn't do anything without thoroughly considering the potential consequences. This stunt he pulled is just another planned act."

"And how do you know so much about him?" Sasori asked hotly, "What is his connection to you?"

Instead of Pein answering, Konan spoke up, "Madara saved us from an orphanage when Pein-sama and I were fourteen years old."

A silence fell across the room. Konan noticed the shock in everyone's faces - even Hidan's. Even though she and Hidan had once been together, she had never told him.

After a few moments, she continued, "Pein-sama and I grew up in an orphanage. To the people who ran the facility, we were little better than wastes of space. Nobody wanted to adopt us because we were growing older. It seemed likely that we would outgrow the place and end up on the streets."

"But that's when Madara came and found us," Pein said, picking up where she left off. "He took us out of there and introduced us to another child he had with him - another orphan like us. His name was Nagato."

"What happened to Nagato?" Kisame asked.

"He died many years ago." Pein answered. "It's a long story and it happened so long ago that I was known by a different name - Yahiko." ***

Before anyone could ask anything else relating to the past, Pein switched his attention to the present, "What all of you must understand is that Madara was telling the truth when he said that he founded the Akatsuki. He did. He even led it for a while, but grew bored with our sedentary lifestyle and so he left me in charge to continue his traveling. Never did I think he would return and demand to lead the Akatsuki once more." He bowed to his fellow Akatsuki members in an apologetic fashion, "It is this oversight that I must ask your forgiveness for. If I had known he would be back, I would have told you about him years ago."

Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame, and Deidara exchanged looks of surprise. They had rarely ever heard Pein apologize for anything and be so open about his thoughts, so this was very shocking to them. The only one who wasn't surprised was Itachi. He used the opportunity to ask another question, "What are we supposed to do now? Are we supposed to accept Madara as our leader?"

Pein gave him the faintest of smiles, "Only you could ignore all these bombshells of information and focus on the heart of the matter." Itachi gave him a questioning look so Pein continued, "That is not my place to say because I am no longer in charge." Pein glanced around at those whom he once led, addressing them all at once. "It is your choice whether or not you accept these changes. And once you make that choice, what will you do about it? How will your choice affect those around you?"

At this point, Itachi decided to make his announcement, "Whether or not I accept Madara as our new leader is not an issue for me because I am leaving the Akatsuki with Naruto-kun."

As one, all eyes turned to the Uchiha. Itachi remained calm despite their scrutiny. "Yesterday afternoon, two demons from Naruto-kun's home village found us outside this very base. They explained how Naruto-kun was urgently needed against a force threatening both the demons and humans present on this continent. He must leave very soon and I have decided to go with him."

Hearing this, Hidan sat up, surprising Konan with how fast he moved. "You can't be serious..." he said, his voice sounding more like a croak than anything else. He coughed before continuing in a rough voice, "What the fuck is wrong with you, Itachi? You want to leave your family when we need you the most? You selfish asshole! I know you love him, but what about us? Don't we matter at all to you?!"

Konan grabbed Hidan's hand, stopping him. "Hidan, don't strain yourself!" Hidan coughed again. Konan rubbed his hand and looked from him to Itachi, "I'm sure Itachi will explain himself further. Don't get so excited."

For the first time, Itachi felt a hint of hesitation about leaving the Akatsuki. His gaze traveled across the stunned faces of his comrades. When he looked at Kisame, he couldn't ignore the hurt he saw in his best friend's eyes. A stab of guilt made Itachi wince and drop his gaze.

"Itachi, look at me!" Kisame ordered him. Itachi did so. "Is this what you really want to do?"

"It is, but..." Itachi trailed off. A flood of memories of all the time he had spent with all the people assembled hit him like a ton of bricks. He recalled Konan's kindness from the beginning, Pein's rare words of praise, Sasori and Kakuzu's interesting conversations with him, Hidan's excessive swearing and unrestrained attitude, Deidara's explosive creations, and finally, Kisame's loyal friendship. At that moment, Itachi realized Hidan was right - he did have a family within the Akatsuki.

"But what?" Konan gently prompted him.

"I don't know!" Itachi exclaimed, his characteristic calm gone as struggled with what to do. "How am I supposed to pick between you guys and Naruto-kun? I love him, but you're my family and I can't leave you!"

Itachi felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Pein speak to him, "Itachi, you're one of the most intelligent people I've had the privilege of meeting and I know that you can figure this out, but first you must calm down. See the situation in front of you from all angles and then make your choice. Whatever you choose, I believe it will be the right decision for yourself and all of us connected to you."

Listening to Pein's words, Itachi took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to calm his fraying nerves. "Pein-sama," he began, "am I to understand that you have officially decided to forfeit your claim to the leadership of the Akatsuki?"

"Yes, I have." Pein admitted. "It is for the best."

Itachi nodded, taking this information in. "If we, the members of the Akatsuki, were to reject Madara's claim to take over this organization, wouldn't we be in need of a new leader?"

"Indeed, but it wouldn't be me."

Itachi nodded again, "I understand." He looked around, "In that case, does anyone here accept Madara as the new leader of Akatsuki? Raise your hand if you do."

Pein raised his hand and after a hesitation, Konan did too.

"Why?" Kakuzu asked them, "He's clearly deranged and unfit for leadership."

Pein sighed and Konan glanced at him as he spoke, "Konan and I owe Madara for many things. We cannot allow a large debt such as ours to go unpaid."

Kakuzu merely nodded in understanding. "If that is the case, there is clearly a divide within our ranks now. We are now split into two groups. If you and Konan are to be led by Madara, who will lead the other group?"

"I'll do it!" Hidan piped up immediately before coughing again.

"I don't think so." Kakuzu said. He leaned back in his seat and spoke thoughtfully, "It must be someone who is not only strong, but smart enough to handle someone like Madara..."

"Who, then? You, Kakuzu? Don't make me laugh!" Hidan said, before he emitted another hacking cough.

Kakuzu rolled his eyes, "I wasn't trying to make you laugh, Hidan, for if I did, you would likely be unable to breathe and would either pass out or die."

Hidan opened his mouth for a retort, but Konan placed a hand over his mouth. "Kakuzu is right, you know. Settle down, Hidan - for me."

Hidan did as he was told, but folded his arms across his chest, clearly irked.

Kisame spoke up, "As far as I'm concerned, there is only one of us remotely capable of leading anyone aside from Konan and Pein-sama."

"Who?" Sasori asked.

Kisame grinned. "Itachi, of course. Who else would be a better fit?"

For the second time, everyone looked at Itachi, and once again, he looked at each of the members of Akatsuki in turn. He spoke slowly, "Thank you for the endorsement, Kisame, but I honestly don't think anyone here want me to lead them."

"Since you put it that way. let's find out. Anyone who wants Itachi to be the new leader of the second Akatsuki, raise your hand." Kisame instructed, raising his right hand high over his head.

As one, Hidan, Konan, Deidara, Sasori, Kakuzu, and even Pein raised their hands.

Itachi blinked in disbelief, unsure of how else to react.

"The group has spoken and the vote is unanimous," Kisame announced. His tone became more serious, yet remained tinged with hope. "I guess the only question is whether or not you'll do it, huh, Itachi?"

The Uchiha remained silent. His thoughts spun with uncertainty. Was he supposed to stay and help his comrades, or leave with the love of his life? What mattered more: family or love? What about the love you felt for family? _What do I do? How do I decide something like this? _He wondered, frantically, as he struggled to make a decision. He sighed loudly and raked a hand through the long strands of hair framing his face.

As if reading his thoughts, Pein asked a question. "Put it this way, Itachi... who needs you the most and how urgent is that need?"

Itachi knew. In a clear strong voice, he spoke again to everyone present. "There have been so many changes in such a short amount of time, and because of them, it seems like I have to make a change for myself," he paused, "If you will accept it, I will become the leader of this seceded group of Akatsuki members. However, I will only lead long enough to give some stability for those under my command. Once our future become clear to me, then I will leave and join Naruto-kun in the Land of Whirlpools permanently."

"Yes, I accept." Kisame said immediately before the others repeated the sentiment, strengthening the sense of solidarity the Akatsuki felt with one another. Once the others had finished, Kisame asked, "What do we do now, Itachi - I mean, Leader-sama?"

"We need to tell Madara to make this split official," Itachi replied. "And please, just call me Itachi. As far as I'm concerned, Leader-sama was Pein-sama's title and will not be mine."

Hearing this put a small smile on Pein's face. He felt a sense of pride towards Itachi. Pein knew he would make a great leader.

"Good luck with that, Itachi, but I doubt he'll be happy about it." Sasori said. "When will you tell Madara?"

"As soon as I can." Itachi replied confidently.

"You mean like now, un?" Deidara asked.

"Exactly. You know what they say - there's no time like the present to do something." Itachi said, walking towards the library door, steeling his nerves for a potential conflict with Madara. One thought in particular gave him a source of strength; _The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can be with Naruto-kun, and that's all that matters in the end._

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At the exact same time Kakuzu had started questioning Pein about the man known as Madara, Naruto was alone in Itachi's room, seated on the edge of the bed as he awaited the Uchiha's return. Naruto couldn't help but feel a pang of worry about how the others would react to Itachi's news about leaving them. He also wondered what the sudden meeting had been about. Had something bad happened? And what had Pein meant by it being dangerous for them both he and Itachi?

As Naruto turned these questions over in his mind, he failed to sense the peculiarly dark presence approaching the door to his room before it suddenly vanished. He did, however, hear the footsteps approaching the door to Itachi's room. Cautiously, Naruto slipped off the bed and soundlessly crept to the door. The sound of footsteps stopped and Naruto knew someone was right outside the door.

Naruto knelt down in front of the locked door and carefully sniffed the junction between the door and the wall, trying to get the scent of the person outside the door. He was able to detect a faint scent that smelled a lot like Itachi - Uchiha scent, to be more specific. To Naruto, Itachi had a scent so unique from anyone else that he had chalked it up to Itachi's genes and considered it to be a one of a kind scent due to the fact that Itachi didn't have any surviving family members.

As Naruto evaluated the scent, the visitor knocked firmly at the door. Naruto frowned. The knocking did sound like Itachi's but it had more force than normal… but it had to be Itachi, right? Who else had that same Uchiha scent? But why didn't he say anything?

"Itachi, is that you?" Naruto finally asked, not sure what else he could do.

There was no verbal reply, but there was another three knocks.

_Why isn't he saying anything? _Naruto wondered, standing up. His fingers lingered over the lock. _Did something happen to him? _Naruto's eyes widened. _Maybe he has to be quiet for some reason and can't call out to me like normal… that must be it! _

With this thought, Naruto turned the lock and heard it as it clicked open. He pulled on the knob and as he swung the door open, he spoke without looking at the person standing there, "Itachi! What happened? Are you - ?"

With his hand still on the knob of the open door, Naruto froze and didn't finish his sentence. He couldn't. A pair of blood red Sharingan bore into his wide blue eyes. The black tomoe danced around the dark pupils in a hypnotizing way. Involuntarily, Naruto's pupils became slit and turned red in turn.

"Hello, Kyuubi." The visitor said softly, holding a strange orange mask in his hands. "Do you know who I am?"

Naruto didn't reply. He couldn't. All he could do is stare into those eyes.

The visitor continued, "The last time I saw you, you were very small." He chuckled, "And as I recall, your parents were furious for that innocent little peek." He sighed, "It's a shame they had to die. Hopefully, you and I can get along better."

At the mention of his parents, Naruto finally managed to string together a sentence. "W-who... a-are... y-you?"

"Hmm... you don't know? Really?"

"N-no..." Naruto said. Speaking was intensely difficult now.

"I guess that makes sense. You were very young when I saw you, so I doubt you'll remember." The visitor smiled without mirth, his attractive features acquiring a devilish cast. "My name is Madara."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out. His survival instincts screamed at him to run away but his body was frozen to the spot. He simply could not look away from those eyes.

"There's no need to speak, Kyuubi. We'll be better acquainted soon enough anyway. Right now, I just want to look at you." Madara said. The tomoe in his eyes spun faster and faster. Naruto just stared, unblinking and completely hypnotized by them.

After ten more seconds, the tomoe stopped spinning and transformed into a large black star. When that happened, Naruto blinked and re-opened his eyes, but they were different. Three small black tomoe were now present around the slit pupils. The tomoe pulsed once before disappearing. Naruto's eyes turned blue again before his body crumpled to the ground as he passed out.

Carefully, Madara knelt down and picked up Naruto's limp body. He carried him over to the bed and placed him down so it looked as though Naruto had simply fallen asleep. For a moment, Madara studied him. He found it strange how the most powerful demon of them all looked so harmless. He decided that it was an excellent strategy to use and that's why the Kyuubi did it. Fox demons were tricky like that.

Madara turned around and turned off his Sharingan, revealing one dark, seeing eye and one faded, blind eye. He rather disliked the fact that he couldn't see very well without his Sharingan being activated, but he consoled himself with the knowledge that soon enough, he would get two brand new eyes and everything else he ever wanted.

With this thought it mind, Madara smirked, pleased. He placed his mask back on his face and left the room, being sure to lock the door on his way out.

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***Author's Note #2: I don't normally do more than one of these as I think it distracts from the story, but this is a special reason. I would like to ask your input on something. I had this idea of writing an additional, tie-in to this story about Konan, Pein, and Madara and how the Akatsuki got started in the world where this story takes place. This would be a separate story, but will provide all the background info more in depth. Originally, I wanted to add their story to this one, but I felt it was somewhat out of place because this is Itachi and Naruto's story and I didn't want to distract from that. Anyway, do let me know what you think about that via reviews, messages to me, and/or by voting on a poll set up on my profile page. I will leave it up until the next time I update this story. Please let me know you think about that. Whatever you decide is what I will do, but be assured that this particular story will continue until the end.

Thanks again for reading and for your cooperation! :)


	13. Separation

Author's Note: Hi. Thanks for showing up. I must also send my thanks for the people who read, reviewed, and added this story to favorites/alerts. Thank you soooo very much. I really appreciate it! Here's the next chapter. I know it's a bit shorter than normal, but I hope you like it. Please review to give your opinion!

Disclaimer: I still do not own Naruto. I'm quite consistent in my claims of not owning it, don't you think?

_WARNINGS_: Light yaoi and swearing. I just thought I'd let you know.

13. Separation

Before Itachi went to face Madara, he decided to stop in and check on Naruto. At the door, he twisted the door handle to no avail until he remembered that Naruto had locked it. Itachi rummaged through his pockets only to realize that he didn't have the key either. He sighed in mild annoyance and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He tried again, but again there was no response from the room's occupant.

"Naruto-kun, are you awake? It's me." Itachi said. "Naruto-kun, open the door." Not sure what else to do, he knocked a little louder on the door. Worry began to gnaw at Itachi as he hit the door harder and faster. "Naruto-kun!"

Once he heard the irrational fear in his own voice, Itachi stopped knocking and remained silent, his heart pounding in his chest. To the Uchiha's relief, he heard the lock click and the knob turn. The door swung in, revealing a tired Naruto, slowly rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What's goin' on?"

Itachi didn't respond. Instead, he lunged forward and embraced Naruto, holding him tightly. He pulled back and looked at Naruto who regarded him through an unfocused, somewhat puzzled gaze. Itachi chalked it up to him being tired. Itachi smiled, "You really scared me when you didn't answer the door right away, but now I understand why."

Naruto merely yawned, his open mouth exposing long fang teeth.

Itachi chuckled softly before leading the fox demon back to the bed. Naruto sat on the edge of the bed, stifling another yawn. "What happened?"

"There was an unexpected turn of events. I'm actually going to try to resolve it now." Itachi leaned forward and kissed Naruto's forehead, earning a small smile from the demon. "I just wanted to see that you were okay."

"I'm fine, but I am really tired." Naruto's brow furrowed, thinking about it. "I don't know why, though. I don't even remember you leaving earlier."

Itachi found this strange but didn't think it was anything too serious. "It's probably stress-related. A lot has happened over the past few days and you're probably still trying to mentally digest it."

Naruto shrugged. "I guess that's it. I don't know what else it could be."

"Well, I'll let you rest for a while longer. There's one more thing I need to take care of now and then we may need to get moving ourselves."

"OK." Naruto smiled up at the Uchiha. "I love you, Itachi."

Itachi didn't hide his grin at the words. "I love you, too, Naruto. I always will."

Naruto's smile widened but it was interrupted by a yawn. Naruto covered his mouth before turning around and crawling to the pillows, where he proceeded to fall against them. His back to Itachi, the Uchiha didn't see the black tomoe that had shown themselves in the demon's eyes. The tomoe spun once before hiding under Naruto's closed eyes.

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Madara heard the knocking on the great oak door of the meeting room where he was waiting at the stone table. "Come in"

The door opened and as expected, Itachi entered. He took the seat directly across from Madara, watching the masked man carefully.

"You look like you have something on your mind." Madara observed, noting the serious expression of the other man. "What would you like to discuss?"

"Your leadership and the future of the Akatsuki."

"What of it?"

Itachi spoke with both calm and certainty. "It has been decided that your claim to leadership will not accepted by the members of this organization."

"Then who will lead the Akatsuki? I'm sure that Pein has abdicated his former role."

"He has." Itachi confirmed. "I'm going to be the new leader of the group of members who don't accept your rule. The Akatsuki has been divided into two separate parties now - one who will listen to you, and the others who I will lead."

"Why are you the leader?"

"It was not my choice. I was selected by a majority vote."

Madara snorted, "A vote? Since when have demon hunters been so democratic?"

"Since they decided that they didn't want someone such as you leading them."

Itachi expected Madara to get angry about this remark, but instead, a laugh escaped the masked man. "I guess the little episode regarding that rude moron ruffled their feathers, didn't it?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "That 'rude moron' - as you call him - could have been seriously hurt or worse. What gives you the right to treat your subordinates that way? Leadership isn't about brute force. It's about leading and respecting those you work with."

"Sure it is." Madara agreed sarcastically. "And in your case, I guess that demon hunting is about fornicating with your prey, getting found out, causing strife within your ranks, and finally deciding to keep your lover. I see why those idiots picked you for leader - you're the very picture of virtue."

"At least I don't seem like a psychopath with anger issues."

"I'd rather be an enraged psychopath than a nymphomaniac with a demon fetish." Madara retorted, clearly amused with the conversation.

Itachi blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Madara to be this amiable. Despite the sarcastic replies and insults, he didn't sound too angry. "You seem to be taking this well even though your authority is being ignored." Itachi finally commented.

"Why wouldn't I?" Madara asked rhetorically. He sat back in his chair, his spine aligned with the stone backing before folding his arms across his chest. "There's not much I can do with subordinates who don't want to listen. I could always kill them for their insolence, yes, but that still doesn't help me much. I'll still need to find new members whether they're dead or not."

"Am I to understand that you accept the decision to split the Akatsuki?"

"I don't willingly accept it, but again, there's not much I can do. I'll take the few who do want to listen and you'll get to keep the rest. That appears to be the only way things will work out."

Itachi stood up. "Then I guess the matter is settled."

Madara watched him. "Yes, I suppose so. I trust you'll be making a grand announcement about your victory, won't you?"

"I have every intention of informing my new team about what happened."

Madara nodded in approval. "Good. Send them here to make the announcement. That way, we can divide our ranks accordingly and I can take my subordinates with me when I leave this place."

"Where are you going?"

"Never you mind about that." Madara waved a hand dismissively. "Now go assemble those idiots here so I can take what I need to. I want to see everyone here who resides in this base, understand?"

"Of course." Itachi said agreeably. Briefly, he wondered if Madara had also meant Naruto. He pushed his chair back and just as he turned his back, he heard Madara answer the unspoken question.

"Don't forget the Kyuubi either."

His back still to Madara, Itachi didn't react. He knew Madara had only said that to get a reaction from him. Itachi didn't know why exactly, but an alarm of warning rang in his mind. He didn't know what the other man was capable of. Did Madara pose a threat to Naruto in some way? Or was he just trying to psych Itachi out?

Itachi glanced at the waiting Madara, "I wouldn't ever forget him." Without another word, Itachi left the room.

Once Itachi was gone, Madara allowed himself a smirk of satisfaction. He was pleased with the idea of another Uchiha leading the Akatsuki - especially one as smart, calm, and sarcastic as Itachi. Still, Madara had no intention of allowing Itachi to leave with the ultimate prize. That, Madara supposed, was the only fault he found with Itachi - he formed a deep bond with a demon.

_I wonder how much it'll hurt to have that bond severed... _

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Back in the library, the discussion about Itachi leading the Akatsuki continued.

"Are you sure we should let Itachi be in charge, un?" Deidara asked Sasori.

Sasori shrugged. "I don't know, but what other options do we have? Besides, he's not a bad guy – he'd do a much a better job than Madara."

"True," agreed Deidara. His brow furrowed. "I just wonder what will happen to us next. You know, where will we go, and how long will Itachi be in charge, un?"

"Who knows…?" Kakuzu said. "There's no point in speculating on what's going to happen. We'll find out eventually."

"I guess." Deidara replied. His sense of unease was not assuaged in the slightest.

Kisame glanced over at Deidara. "There isn't a reason to be worried, you know. Itachi will figure something out. He always does."

As if on cue, the library door opened and Itachi appeared in the threshold. All eyes turned to him with the same questioning look except for Pein. The former leader of the Akatsuki was organizing books on the shelf, moving a few from their regular spots to new locations. One book he even turned upside down. Konan glanced at him, but remained silent before her eyes traveled back to Itachi.

"I just spoke to Madara." Itachi said. "He wants us all to assemble in the meeting room. There, we will part ways."

"He actually accepted it?" Konan asked, her eyes wide and revealing her disbelief. It was very unlike Madara to do such a thing. Madara hated when things didn't go his way.

Itachi gave her a small smile. "I couldn't believe it either, but, yes, that's the gist of what happened."

Konan just blinked, still not believing it. Seeing her expression, Hidan clapped her gently on the back. "You heard what Itachi said. I don't think he'd bullshit us about something like that." His voice was still a little hoarse.

"Maybe miracles can happen." She responded quietly, fixing a small smile on her face to hide her sense of unease and give to Hidan. He grinned in reply.

Nearby, Pein noticed the exchange and ignored the needle of jealousy he felt. He looked back towards the books and pulled one out of the shelf only to quickly fold in the corners of the title page. The corners met in the center and formed an arrow-like shape. Pein set the book down next to an old volume of ancient myths before he turned around. "We should get going, then. Don't you think so, Itachi?"

Itachi nodded in agreement. "Let's go. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get on with our lives away from Madara." Itachi turned on his heels and strode out the door. Kisame followed, with Kakuzu, Sasori, Deidara, Hidan, and Konan close behind. Pein lingered a moment, his eyes fixed on the bookshelf. He wanted to make sure that everything was in place before he left.

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Solemn-faced, the Akatsuki and the Kyuubi assembled before Madara in a neat line, all faces turned towards him. They couldn't help but notice a change with Madara. The masked man had replaced his usual orange one with another mask that was a light shade of purple. In addition to the different color, there were also two eye holes on it that resembled tomoe. A third tomoe was painted on the forehead and a ripple pattern started from the center outward.

"What's with the wardrobe change?" Hidan asked.

"This one fits better." Madara said evenly, his eyes still hidden in darkness as he surveyed those in attendance. His gaze lingered longer on Naruto than anyone else. Naruto growled softly in response. Itachi heard the noise of anger and decided to move things along. "We're here, Madara. Let's get it over with."

Itachi lightly brushed Naruto's hand in reassurance before standing beside Madara. "You know what's going on. Make your choices." He pointed to the far wall across from them. "Stand there if you want to be a part of my Akatsuki. Remain where you are standing if you wish to follow Madara."

Without hesitation, Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, Naruto, and Kisame rushed to the opposite wall. Pein remained where he was along with Konan, but unlike him, the woman wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. Madara sensed her hesitation.

With a strange honeyed sweetness in his voice, he said, "What's wrong, dearest Konan? You look uncertain about something. Surely you aren't contemplating leaving your precious Pein-sama and I all alone to fend for ourselves? We need you, Konan."

"Madara-sama, I -I…" Konan stammered. She looked at Pein for reassurance. He gave her the faintest hint of a smile. "Go wherever you feel you need to, my love."

Madara held up a gloved hand. "That's quite enough, you two. I thought you have outgrown your childish infatuation, but I guess not." His voice darkened. "Make your choice, Konan."

Konan nodded, and rushed over to Pein. She hugged him tightly before kissing him on the mouth. "I can't do it. I'm sorry." Her bright eyes gazed into the striped ones of the one she loved, begging for forgiveness.

"There's nothing to apologize about. We both know that." Pein said, brushing a loose strand of hair out off of her face. "Go now."

She flashed him a smile of gratitude before hurrying across the room to where Itachi was standing. Konan looked directly at Madara. "I don't agree with what you want, Madara-sama. I will not follow you any longer."

"I can't say I'm surprised." Madara said. "You have changed far too much over the years, Konan."

Konan shrugged. "Maybe I have, or maybe I haven't. I just want to do the right thing now."

_No, she hasn't changed at all_. Pein thought proudly. _She has always done the right thing – even when I could not. _

"Welcome to the team, Konan." Itachi said.

"Thank you, Itachi, for leading us." Konan replied with a slight bow.

An exasperated sigh escaped Madara. "I didn't know insubordination was so popular among everyone here." He folded his arms behind his back. "But what can I expect from having a gutter rat in charge for so long?"

Pein remained silent at the insult.

Madara continued, pacing back and forth as he did so. "I mean, honestly, what did I expect? The gutter rat's orphan whore couldn't even be faithful to him. She had a tryst with a piece of trash with a foul mouth." At this, Pein winced visibly and a flush darkened Konan's face. She looked intently at the ground. "Not exactly someone I would want around anyway." Madara finished thoughtfully.

"Would you just shut your fuckin' mouth already?!" Hidan snapped, angry. The scythe-wielder marched forward towards Madara.

Kisame grabbed his arm. "No, Hidan. Back off and let Itachi deal with it."

Hidan smacked Kisame's arm away, but remained in place, angry about the insult towards Konan. He had been called far worse than trash, so he was unbothered by Madara's words. Hidan was, however, furious that he had called Konan a whore. She was the epitome of loyalty in his eyes.

Itachi stepped forward. "That's enough, Madara. We made our choices and you'll have to deal with that."

Madara sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. It's such a shame how few members are left of the true Akatsuki, but oh well… easy come, easy go." Itachi wanted him intently as he stepped towards Naruto. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me, Kyuubi?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Naruto growled, his fangs visible. "Itachi told me what you did to Hidan earlier."

"Of course he did." Madara said lightly. "I think Itachi would run around and tell the world if he could. He'd be a great messenger. " Madara turned back to Itachi. He smirked behind his mask, noting the younger man's glare. "Don't be so serious. I was just kidding."

Itachi's glare intensified. "We're done here. You have your follower and I have mine."

"Fine, fine." Madara said, waving a hand dismissively. "I'll be taking my leave now." He strode over to the wall Pein was leaning against, addressing Itachi's teammates. "Are you all certain that you don't want to join me?"

"Yes," was the reply spoken in unison.

"Hn… I thought so." Madara looked over at Itachi. "Well, it looks like you win, Itachi …." He paused. "Now that I think about it, I don't believe that anyone here has used your last name. Tell me, what is your full name?"

"Itachi Uchiha."

"It's a pleasure to properly meet you, Itachi Uchiha." Madara extended a hand. Itachi ignored the proffered hand, a glare still present on his face. "Since you insist on being so rude, I highly doubt you will ask my name, will you?"

"No." Itachi replied tersely. "I don't care what it is."

"But you should care." Madara said. A chill was felt throughout the room as he spoke. "My name is Madara Uchiha."

As soon as his surname was uttered, a bright red flash was visible from the dark eyeholes of Madara's mask. Two blazing Sharingans focused on Naruto. "Come with your master, Kyuubi!"

A loud roar tore its way out of Naruto's throat as he clutched his head in agony as Madara gained control of him. A blast of red chakra engulfed his body that contained enough force to knock the other Akatsuki members against the stone wall.

Unsteadily, Itachi quickly climbed to his feet, "Naruto-kun!" He reached out for the demon, but Naruto transformed into his fox form. With his golden fur standing up in spikes along the ridge of his back, Naruto snarled at Itachi, his eyes red and savage. Black tomoe danced around his slit pupils as he advanced towards his lover.

Fear stole through Itachi, rendering him immobile. "Naruto-kun." He repeated, his thoughts incoherent as he gazed into the demonic Sharingans in Naruto's eyes.

Harsh laughter filled the air. "Hahaha! Did you really think you would take the Kyuubi from me, boy?" Madara said coldly. "Here, Kyuubi!" he ordered. Naruto lowered his ears and crept over to Madara. The masked man rested a hand on the fox's head. "I always get what I want, Itachi. Remember that."

With a series of swift hand signs, Madara teleported himself, Pein, and Naruto away. The three disappeared into a black void in the air and were gone, leaving the room still and silent in their wake.

As the others recovered from the impact of Naruto's chakra, Itachi fell to his knees. Without warning, tears sprang to his eyes and ran down his cheeks. "No, he can't be gone. He just can't." He sobbed involuntarily, his heart beating painfully in his chest as the realization of what happened finally sunk in. His eyes darted around desperately and Naruto was nowhere to be seen. The only thing Itachi saw was six pairs of eyes gazing at him with pity.

Naruto was gone and there wasn't a damn thing Itachi could have done to stop it.


End file.
